Nigeria lost 2-0 to DR Congo in the first leg of their second-round 2027 U-23 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) qualifying tie in Lubumbashi, on Friday.
The hosts took the lead in the 15th minute through an own goal by Nigeria’s U-23 Eagles goalkeeper and captain Samuel James, who failed to properly claim a cross that was swung into the box.
Filozofe Mabete made it 2-0 in the 35th minute as he bundled the ball home after the U-23 Eagles fielded to clear their lines.
This was Nigeria’s first competitive match of the campaign after receiving a first-round bye, while DR Congo advanced by overturning a 1-0 first-leg deficit against Mauritania with a 2-0 home win.
The return leg is scheduled for Tuesday, November 17, 2026, at the Remo Stars Stadium in Ikenne, Ogun State, and the winner over the two legs will advance to the final qualifying round in March 2027 where they will face either Sierra Leone or Burkina Faso).
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The 2027 U-23 AFCON in Egypt also serves as the pathway to the 2028 Olympic Games in Los Angeles.
The U-23 Eagles failed to qualify for the U-23 AFCON in Morocco, which saw them miss out of qualification to the 2024 Paris Olympics.
Nigeria last featured at the U-23 AFCON in 2019 where they crashed out at the group stage.
Under former Nigeria international Samson, the team won their first and only U-23 AFCON title at the 2015 edition in Senegal.
By James Agberebi
