Brighton winger Zadok Yohanna has expressed his delight at making his debut for Nigeria’s Olympic Eagles, describing the opportunity to represent his country as a proud moment for himself and his family.
The 19-year-old was part of the Olympic Eagles squad that suffered a 2-0 defeat to DR Congo in the first leg of their second-round 2027 U-23 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) qualifier at the TP Mazembe Stadium in Lubumbashi on Friday.
Speaking after featuring for the U-23 side in an interview posted on the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) social media platforms, Yohanna expressed his gratitude to God and revealed his excitement at finally getting the opportunity to represent his country after previous setbacks.
“First of all, I give God the glory. It’s a really proud moment for me and for my family as well. I was really happy when I got the call-up. This wasn’t the first time I got invited, but due to injury issues I couldn’t participate,” he said.
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Yohanna previously received his first senior national team call-up when Super Eagles head coach Eric Chelle selected him as part of Nigeria’s squad for the 2026 Unity Cup. However, his former club, AIK, where he was playing at the time, refused to release him due to injury concerns.
The winger, who later completed a record move from AIK to Premier League side Brighton in June 2026, expressed confidence in the Olympic Eagles’ ability to overturn their first-leg deficit and progress to the next round.
“With the quality of players we have, I’m really sure that we can win,” he added.
Nigeria face an uphill task in Tuesday’s return leg at the Remo Stars Stadium in Ikenne after conceding twice in the first half of Friday’s encounter. The Olympic Eagles must secure at least a two-goal victory to keep their qualification hopes alive.
However, there are concerns over Yohanna’s availability for the decisive encounter after the youngster sustained an injury in the first half of the first leg, forcing him off the pitch.
His fitness ahead of Tuesday’s clash remains uncertain, with his potential absence likely to be a setback for the Olympic Eagles as they look to overturn the deficit and keep their hopes of qualifying for the 2027 U-23 AFCON in Egypt alive.
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