Nigeria Olympic Eagles head coach Bright Ozebagbe has declared his squad fully prepared for the first leg of their 2027 Africa U-23 Cup of Nations qualifier against the Democratic Republic of Congo in Lubumbashi, urging his players to let their performance speak for itself.

Speaking at the pre-match press conference, Ozebagbe was clear that home advantage carries little weight when it comes to actual results on the pitch. He stressed that quality football would determine the outcome, regardless of where the match is played.

The Nigeria coach also underlined the value of consistency across both legs of the tie, insisting that the team which maintains its level over 180 minutes will ultimately advance to the next round.

Ozebagbe focused on his own squad

When pressed on his view of the DR Congo U-23 side, Ozebagbe indicated that his primary focus had been on sharpening his own players' readiness rather than dissecting the opposition. The approach reflects a self-belief-driven mentality as the Olympic Eagles look to impose their game from the opening whistle.

Bukasa eyes home advantage

On the other side, DR Congo U-23 head coach Guy Bukasa enters the fixture with ambitions of securing a commanding result in front of a passionate Lubumbashi crowd. Bukasa is drawing confidence from DR Congo's remarkable recovery in the previous qualifying round, where his side came back from a 1-0 first-leg defeat away to win 2-0 at home against Mauritania and book their place in this stage.

Bukasa acknowledged Nigeria's standing as a serious opponent but maintained that the support of the home fans at TP Mazembe Stadium could prove decisive in pushing his players towards a result that puts DR Congo in the driving seat ahead of the return fixture.

What's at stake

The first leg takes place on Friday at the TP Mazembe Stadium in Lubumbashi. The tie will then be settled the following Tuesday at the Remo Stars Stadium in Ikenne, Nigeria, where the Olympic Eagles will have the chance to respond in front of their own supporters.