The Super Eagles, led by head coach Éric Chelle, have arrived in Guinea-Bissau seeking a second consecutive victory in the 2027 Africa Cup of Nations qualifiers. Nigeria opened their campaign with a 2-1 comeback win over Madagascar in Uyo, with debutant George Ilenikhena scoring the equaliser and Moses Usor netting the winner. Chelle now faces fresh fitness concerns, with Ilenikhena doubtful for the encounter due to a minor problem.
Ilenikhena's potential absence presents a selection consideration for Chelle, who also disclosed that two or three other players were feeling unwell. The coach will make a final decision on the players' availability after assessing them in the final training session. Despite the concerns, the Nigeria Football Federation reported that all 24 invited players took part in Monday evening's official training session at the 24 September Stadium in Bissau.
Nigeria will again be without captain Victor Osimhen, who has been ruled out of both September qualifiers due to a muscle injury sustained in a Turkish league match. The Galatasaray striker's absence has seen Chelle rely on debutants, with Ilenikhena and Usor contributing to the win over Madagascar. The possibility of Ilenikhena missing the second game presents another challenge for Chelle.
Despite the fitness concerns and the challenge of playing away from home, Chelle said Nigeria's objective remains to secure all three points. The Franco-Malian coach respects Guinea-Bissau, who made a winning start to their qualifying campaign with a 2-0 away victory over Tanzania. Chelle added that his team must approach the game with a strong mentality to earn victory.
The encounter at the 24 September Stadium represents Nigeria's first away assignment in the qualifying campaign and a meeting between the two teams that currently occupy the top positions in Group L. Both Nigeria and Guinea-Bissau secured victories in their opening matches, with the Djurtus sitting ahead on goal difference. Nigeria will need to produce a more controlled performance to leave Bissau with another victory.
Guinea-Bissau enter the encounter with confidence after their impressive 2-0 victory away to Tanzania in their opening fixture. The Djurtus have also proved a difficult opponent for Nigeria in recent meetings, having recorded a 1-0 victory over the Super Eagles during the 2023 AFCON qualifying campaign. Nigeria have won three of their four previous official senior meetings with Guinea-Bissau.
The condition of the pitch at the 24 September Stadium was raised as an issue ahead of the match, but Chelle refused to dwell on it, insisting that his players must adapt to the conditions and concentrate on the task. Acting NFF General Secretary, Dr Emmanuel Ikpeme, urged the players to maintain complete concentration throughout the encounter, recalling previous competitive meetings between both teams.
Key points
- Nigeria's Super Eagles face Guinea-Bissau in a crucial Group L encounter of the 2027 Africa Cup of Nations qualifiers.
- The Super Eagles are seeking a second consecutive victory in the qualifiers.
- The encounter carries considerable importance for both teams, with another victory strengthening either side's position at the top of Group L.
