Reported by Ariajegbe Sylvia Esezobor
Guinea-Bissau produced one of the biggest surprises of the 2027 Africa Cup of Nations qualifying campaign on Tuesday, defeating Nigeria’s Super Eagles 3-0 at the Estádio Nacional 24 de Setembro in Bissau to move three points clear at the top of Group L and leave Nigeria’s qualification hopes hanging on the remaining fixtures. Franculino Djú opened the scoring in the 15th minute, Mama Baldé doubled the lead in the 66th, and Álvaro Djaló completed the rout in the fifth minute of stoppage time, handing Eric Chelle’s side their first competitive defeat in regulation time since the Franco-Malian took charge.
The hosts started with greater intensity and were rewarded when Renato Nhaga beat his marker in midfield, drove forward and sprayed a long pass to Franculino on the right. The forward cut into the penalty area and unleashed a shot that flew past Stanley Nwabali to give Guinea-Bissau a 1-0 lead. Nigeria had most of the ball but struggled to turn possession into clear chances. The Super Eagles’ best opportunity of the first half came when Alex Iwobi set up Ademola Lookman, but Guinea-Bissau goalkeeper Fernando Embadjé produced a fine save to deny the Nigerian forward.
Chelle made two changes at the start of the second half, introducing Moses Usor and Moses Simon for Frank Onyeka and Taiwo Awoniyi. Usor came close to bringing Nigeria level after the break, cutting inside from the right and curling a powerful left-footed shot towards goal, but the ball struck the crossbar. Guinea-Bissau then punished Nigeria’s attacking approach in the 66th minute. Baldé received the ball from Mamadi Camará on the left, cut inside and fired a low shot into the net to make it 2-0.
Chelle responded with further changes, bringing on Tolu Arokodare for Lookman and later introducing George Ilenikhena and Raphael Onyedika for Akor Adams and Wilfred Ndidi. Ilenikhena came close to pulling one back in the 85th minute, but Embadjé produced another save to deny the Nigerian forward. Guinea-Bissau sealed the victory in stoppage time when substitute Tamble Monteiro played the ball to Djaló, who finished with his right foot to complete a 3-0 win.
The statistics laid bare Nigeria’s inefficiency in front of goal. Despite finishing with 55 per cent possession and 102 attacking moves compared with Guinea-Bissau’s 92, the Super Eagles managed only five shots on target from nine attempts. Guinea-Bissau, by contrast, registered seven shots on target from ten attempts, converting three of them. The hosts’ clinical finishing and disciplined defensive organisation proved the difference against a Nigerian side that dominated the ball but lacked the cutting edge to break down a resolute opponent.
The absence of injured striker Victor Osimhen was keenly felt. Nigeria’s attack, led by Taiwo Awoniyi and Akor Adams, struggled to impose itself on the Guinea-Bissau defence, and the lack of a recognised goal-scorer in the starting line-up became increasingly apparent as the match wore on. The defeat is Nigeria’s first regulation-time loss in a competitive match under Chelle, and it is also the first time Guinea-Bissau have scored twice against the Super Eagles in a competitive meeting.
The result leaves Guinea-Bissau top of Group L with six points from their opening two matches, following their 2-0 victory over Tanzania in the first round of fixtures. Nigeria remain second on three points with a minus-two goal difference, having beaten Madagascar 2-1 in their opening qualifier in Uyo last week. With Tanzania, one of the tournament’s co-hosts alongside Kenya and Uganda, already guaranteed a place at the 2027 finals, Nigeria, Guinea-Bissau and Madagascar are competing for the group’s sole remaining qualification spot.
The reaction from Nigerian supporters was swift and unforgiving. Social media platforms were flooded with criticism of the team’s performance, with fans questioning the coaching decisions, the lack of creativity in midfield and the defensive lapses that allowed Guinea-Bissau to score three unanswered goals. Player ratings published by Pulse Sports were damning, with goalkeeper Stanley Nwabali receiving a 2/10, Bright Osayi-Samuel a 1.5/10, and Ademola Lookman a 3/10, reflecting what the publication described as an “abysmal” all-round display. The Pulse Sports report noted that “creativity has been affecting this Super Eagles team and lack of composure when they are under pressure” and described the team as having been “demolished” on the night.
Chelle had warned before the match that Guinea-Bissau were a “strong team” and that Nigeria would “take nothing for granted”, but his players were unable to translate that respect into performance on the pitch. The coach had also expressed concern over the lack of training time available to prepare his squad for the fixture, a factor that may have contributed to the disjointed display. Nigeria will now have to regroup ahead of their remaining qualifying fixtures, with the campaign far from over but the margin for error significantly reduced. Guinea-Bissau, meanwhile, travel to Madagascar in November with the wind at their backs and a three-point cushion at the top of the group.
For Guinea-Bissau, the victory represents a landmark result in their football history and a validation of the progress the Djurtus have made in recent years. For Nigeria, it is a humiliation that raises uncomfortable questions about the depth of the squad, the effectiveness of the coaching staff and the country’s ability to navigate a qualifying campaign that has suddenly become far more precarious. As one supporter put it, “Imagine Guinea-Bissau beating Super Eagles 3 goals to nil.” The answer to how Nigeria responds will determine whether this defeat becomes a footnote in a successful campaign or the moment the Super Eagles’ road to the 2027 Africa Cup of Nations began to slip away.
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