Guinea-Bissau Thrash Super Eagles 3-0, Leave Nigeria Under Pressure in AFCON Qualifiers
By Cynthia Okere, Lagos
Nigeria’s Super Eagles suffered a damaging 3-0 defeat to Guinea-Bissau in their 2027 Africa Cup of Nations qualifying match in Bissau on Tuesday.
Franculino Djú, Mama Baldé and Álvaro Djaló scored for the hosts at the Estádio Nacional 24 de Setembro as Nigeria failed to build on last week’s opening victory over Madagascar.
Guinea-Bissau took the lead in the 15th minute.
Renato Nhaga found Djú inside the Nigerian penalty area before the forward beat goalkeeper Stanley Nwabali with a left-footed finish.
Nigeria came close to equalising before half-time when Alex Iwobi created an opportunity for Ademola Lookman, but Guinea-Bissau goalkeeper Djoco Embadjé kept out the attempt.
The Super Eagles went into the interval trailing 1-0.
Guinea-Bissau extended their advantage in the second half.
Baldé made it 2-0 in the 66th minute after receiving the ball from Mamadi Camará.
Nigeria coach Eric Chelle made changes in an attempt to rescue the game, including introducing George Ilenikhena and Raphael Onyedika.
But the visitors could not find a way back.
Djaló completed the victory five minutes into stoppage time, finishing a counter-attack after being supplied by Tamble Monteiro.
The defeat leaves Nigeria on three points from two matches after beating Madagascar 2-1 in their opening fixture.
Guinea-Bissau have six points after winning both of their opening qualifiers and now lead Nigeria by three points.
The result increases the pressure on the Super Eagles because Tanzania are one of the three automatic hosts of the 2027 tournament alongside Kenya and Uganda.
Nigeria must therefore improve its position during the remaining qualifiers to avoid putting qualification at further risk.
The Super Eagles were without injured striker Victor Osimhen for the September qualifying window.
But the scale of Tuesday’s defeat raises questions beyond the absence of one player, particularly after Nigeria failed to score and conceded three times against a side it had beaten in three of the previous four meetings.