THE Super Eagles have arrived in Bissau ahead of Tuesday’s 2027 Africa Cup of Nations qualifying clash against Guinea-Bissau, with Nigeria looking to build on their opening-day victory over Madagascar.
Nigeria’s delegation travelled to Bissau after a brief turnaround following Friday’s 2-1 comeback victory over Madagascar at the Godswill Akpabio Stadium in Uyo. The result gave Eric Chelle’s side three points from their opening Group L fixture and placed them alongside Guinea-Bissau at the top of the group. News Point Nigeria Sport reports.
The Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) had earlier confirmed that the team would travel to Bissau immediately after the opening fixture as part of its schedule for the first two qualifying matches.
The Super Eagles now face the Wild Dogs in what promises to be a crucial second-round encounter at the 24 September Stadium in Bissau on Tuesday. The match is scheduled for 4pm Nigerian time.
Nigeria will enter the encounter with confidence after recovering from an early setback against Madagascar.
The visitors took the lead in the 16th minute in Uyo before debutant George Ilenikhena levelled for the Super Eagles in first-half stoppage time. Another debutant, Moses Usor, then completed the comeback in the 64th minute with a fine finish to give Nigeria all three points.
The victory was particularly significant for Ilenikhena and Usor, who both marked their Super Eagles debuts with goals. The NFF described the result as an important opening victory in Nigeria’s bid to secure a place at next year’s continental championship.
Stanley Nwabali also played an important role in the victory, making a crucial save in the second half to prevent Madagascar from regaining the lead.
The match also marked Moses Simon’s 100th senior international appearance for Nigeria, adding another milestone to the Super Eagles’ opening fixture.
Nigeria’s opponents will equally approach the encounter with confidence after recording an impressive 2-0 away victory over Tanzania in their opening Group L fixture.
Franculino Djú opened the scoring for Guinea-Bissau in the 33rd minute before Mama Baldé doubled the advantage in the 58th minute.
The result gave Guinea-Bissau three points and ensured that the Wild Dogs travelled into the second matchday on the same points tally as Nigeria. The two sides therefore meet with identical records after the opening round, making Tuesday’s fixture an early battle for control of the group.
Tanzania, one of the three co-hosts of the 2027 AFCON, were unable to respond after conceding twice, leaving Madagascar and Tanzania to meet in the other Group L fixture.
Chelle will now have to determine the personnel and tactical approach that will take on Guinea-Bissau, with the short turnaround requiring careful management of the squad.
The coach has a 24-man squad at his disposal for the opening two qualifiers, including captain Wilfred Ndidi, Stanley Nwabali, Alex Iwobi, Semi Ajayi, Calvin Bassey, Ola Aina, Bruno Onyemaechi, Raphael Onyedika, Frank Onyeka, Ademola Lookman, Samuel Chukwueze, Moses Simon, Akor Adams, Tolu Arokodare, George Ilenikhena and Moses Usor.
Taiwo Awoniyi was subsequently brought into the squad following Victor Osimhen’s injury, after the Galatasaray striker was ruled out of the opening qualifiers.
Chelle is therefore expected to assess the physical condition of his players before settling on his starting XI, particularly after the demanding contest against Madagascar and the long-distance trip to Bissau.
Nigeria and Guinea-Bissau are familiar opponents, having previously met in the qualifying race for the 2023 Africa Cup of Nations.
The NFF noted that Guinea-Bissau won the encounter in Abuja during that qualifying campaign, while Nigeria secured victory when the teams met in Bissau. The latest meeting therefore presents another opportunity for both sides to test themselves in a competitive environment.
The Super Eagles will also be aware that playing away from home could present a different challenge from the opening fixture in Uyo, where they enjoyed strong home support.
For Guinea-Bissau, Tuesday’s match provides an opportunity to consolidate their opening victory and establish an early advantage in the group.
The Group L qualification equation also makes the contest particularly important.
Kenya, Tanzania and Uganda are the co-hosts of the 2027 Africa Cup of Nations and are automatically qualified for the finals. Consequently, the qualifying battle in Group L effectively centres on Nigeria, Guinea-Bissau and Madagascar for the available qualification place.
The NFF had earlier identified Tanzania, Madagascar and Guinea-Bissau as Nigeria’s opponents in Group L following the draw in Cairo.
Nigeria’s victory over Madagascar and Guinea-Bissau’s win over Tanzania mean both sides have three points after the first round. Tuesday’s meeting therefore gives either team an opportunity to move clear at the top of the group.
The Super Eagles will be hoping their recent record against Guinea-Bissau in Bissau can provide encouragement as they pursue another positive result on the road.
Chelle’s immediate objective will be to ensure that the momentum from the Madagascar victory is maintained while addressing the areas of the performance that allowed the visitors to take an early lead in Uyo.
The Nigeria coach had previously spoken about the importance of making a strong start to the qualification campaign and avoiding a situation in which the team would have to depend on late results to secure qualification.
With both Nigeria and Guinea-Bissau beginning the campaign with victories, the pressure will be on the two teams to maintain their perfect starts.
For Nigeria, another three points would provide a significant early boost and put the Super Eagles in a strong position ahead of the remaining fixtures.
For Guinea-Bissau, victory at home would give the Wild Dogs an opportunity to move ahead of the three-time African champions and underline their credentials in a group where only one non-host nation will ultimately secure qualification.
The Super Eagles have now settled in Bissau, with attention firmly shifted to Tuesday’s encounter. After fighting back to defeat Madagascar in Uyo, Nigeria must now negotiate a different challenge against a Guinea-Bissau side that also opened its campaign with a victory.
The 4pm kick-off at the 24 September Stadium will therefore provide the next major test of Chelle’s side as the Super Eagles continue their pursuit of qualification for the 2027 Africa Cup of Nations.