Democratic Republic of Congo’s Under-23 coach Guy Bukasa has selected 26 players for the second qualifying round of the 2027 Africa U-23 Cup of Nations, with Nigeria’s Olympic Eagles awaiting in a two-leg tie.
Key takeaways
- The DR Congo squad includes nine players based outside the country and 17 drawn from domestic clubs.
- Bukasa has largely kept the group that eliminated Mauritania 2-1 on aggregate in the opening qualifying phase.
- The first match will be played at TP Mazembe Stadium in Lubumbashi next Friday.
- Nigeria will host the return fixture at Remo Stars Stadium in Ikenne on Tuesday, November 17.
- The tie’s winner will move into the third round to face Burkina Faso or Sierra Leone.
DR Congo retain core of Mauritania-winning team
Bukasa’s selection maintains the backbone of the side that progressed past Mauritania in the previous round. The coach has combined overseas-based talent with players competing in the Congolese league as DR Congo seek another step toward qualification for the 2027 tournament.
The first leg against Nigeria is set for TP Mazembe Stadium in Lubumbashi next Friday. The Olympic Eagles will then welcome DR Congo for the decisive second leg at Remo Stars Stadium in Ikenne on November 17.
Third-round place at stake
The team that wins the two-match contest will qualify for the third round of the Africa U-23 Cup of Nations preliminaries. There, either DR Congo or Nigeria will meet the winner of the Burkina Faso-Sierra Leone pairing.
