Chelle Faces Fresh Injury Worry As Ilenikhena Doubtful For Guinea-Bissau Clash

Super Eagles head coach Eric Chelle faces a fresh selection headache ahead of Tuesday’s crucial 2027 Africa Cup of Nations qualifier against Guinea-Bissau, with debutant George Ilenikhena doubtful for the Group L encounter.

Ilenikhena, who scored Nigeria’s equaliser in Friday’s 2-1 comeback victory over Madagascar in Uyo, picked up a minor injury and could miss the Super Eagles’ second qualifying fixture in Bissau.

The 20-year-old Al-Ittihad forward was one of the major talking points from Nigeria’s opening qualifier after marking his senior international debut with a composed finish that cancelled out Madagascar’s early lead.

Moses Usor subsequently completed Nigeria’s comeback with a fine individual effort, earning the Super Eagles all three points.

However, Ilenikhena’s participation against Guinea-Bissau remains uncertain, with Chelle revealing that the youngster will undergo a late fitness assessment before a decision is made.

“We have to manage George. Maybe he has a little something, so we have to manage him,” Chelle said at Monday’s pre-match press conference.

The coach also disclosed that two or three other players were feeling unwell, although he declined to identify them or disclose the nature of their ailments.

“We have two or three players who are not feeling very well, but we will see after the last training session,” Chelle added.

The injury and fitness concerns come at a crucial stage of Nigeria’s campaign, with the Super Eagles and Guinea-Bissau both heading into Tuesday’s encounter on three points.

Nigeria opened their campaign with the 2-1 victory over Madagascar, while Guinea-Bissau also secured three points after defeating Tanzania 2-0.

The Super Eagles will therefore be looking to maintain their winning start and strengthen their position in Group L, while Guinea-Bissau will be seeking another home victory.

Despite the concerns surrounding Ilenikhena and some other players, the Nigeria Football Federation reported that all 24 invited players participated in Monday evening’s official training session at the 24 September Stadium in Bissau.

That development could provide some encouragement to Chelle ahead of the decisive encounter, although the coach is expected to make his final selection after assessing the players at the last training session.

Tuesday’s fixture at the Estádio 24 de Setembro kicks off at 4pm local time in Guinea-Bissau, 5pm Nigerian time, with both sides aiming to make it two victories from their opening two matches of the qualifying campaign.