Nigeria, Guinea-Bissau Clash Today In Crucial AFCON Qualifier

The Super Eagles of Nigeria will today face Guinea-Bissau in a crucial Group L clash as both teams seek an early advantage in the race for qualification for the 2027 Africa Cup of Nations.

The encounter will kick off at 5pm Nigerian time at the Estadio 24 de Setembro in Bissau.

Both teams have three points from their opening matches, with Guinea-Bissau currently leading the group on goal difference after defeating co-hosts Tanzania 2-0 in Zanzibar.

Nigeria also secured three points from its opening fixture after coming from behind to defeat Madagascar 2-1 in Uyo on Friday.

With Tanzania already guaranteed a place at the 2027 AFCON as co-hosts, only one team from Group L will secure automatic qualification, making today’s encounter particularly significant.

Victory for either Nigeria or Guinea-Bissau would provide a three-point advantage over the other and also give the winner the edge in the head-to-head tiebreaker, which is the first criterion used to separate teams.

Super Eagles head coach, Eric Chelle, has kept his tactical plans for the encounter under wraps after deploying a 4-4-2 formation against Madagascar before switching to a 4-2-3-1 system.

Speaking ahead of the match, Chelle acknowledged the strengths and weaknesses of Guinea-Bissau but declined to reveal the formation he would use.

“This is not the same team. They have their strengths and weaknesses,” Chelle said.

“I have to think what we will do in Guinea-Bissau. I cannot tell you whether we will play that system or not.”

The Super Eagles arrived in Bissau on Sunday aboard a chartered aircraft ahead of the encounter.

Acting General Secretary of the Nigeria Football Federation, Dr Emmanuel Ikpeme, warned the players against complacency, describing Guinea-Bissau as a strong side.

“Guinea Bissau is a very strong team in every way you look at it. We played them at the 2021 AFCON in Cameroon and we needed all our strength and diligence to win. The team is not one that we can take for granted,” Ikpeme said.

Nigeria and Guinea-Bissau have met four times at senior level, with the Super Eagles winning three of those encounters.

Guinea-Bissau recorded their only victory in the fixture during a 2023 AFCON qualifier in Abuja, when Mama Balde scored the only goal.

Nigeria responded days later with a 1-0 victory in Bissau through a Moses Simon penalty.

The Super Eagles also defeated the Djurtus by a single goal at the 2023 AFCON finals in Ivory Coast.

Ethiopia’s Tewodros Mitiku will referee today’s encounter.