GUINEA-BISSAU WERE BETTER THAN US — CHELLE
Super Eagles head coach Éric Chelle has admitted that Guinea-Bissau were the better side after Nigeria suffered a 3-0 defeat in their 2027 Africa Cup of Nations qualifying match on Tuesday.
The Super Eagles struggled to impose themselves at the Estádio 24 de Setembro in Bissau, with Franculino Djú putting the hosts ahead in the 15th minute.
Nigeria improved briefly after the break but failed to find an equaliser. Mama Baldé doubled Guinea-Bissau’s lead in the 66th minute before Álvaro Djaló completed the scoring in the fifth minute of stoppage time.
Speaking after the match, Chelle acknowledged that the hosts showed greater aggression and intensity. He also pointed to the difficult pitch and hot weather conditions as factors that affected his players.
The defeat leaves Nigeria with three points from two matches in Group L, while Guinea-Bissau moved to six points after winning both of their opening fixtures. Tanzania, one of the co-hosts of the 2027 AFCON, already has an automatic place at the tournament.
Despite the setback, Chelle said the qualification campaign was far from over. Nigeria will face Tanzania twice in November before playing Guinea-Bissau again in Uyo, with further matches scheduled for March 2027.
The Super Eagles will now have to regroup during the next international window as they seek to revive their qualification campaign.
