Franculino Djú, Mama Baldé and Álvaro Djaló scored as the Djurtus took control of Group L and left Eric Chelle searching for answers.
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The Super Eagles were beaten 3-0 by Guinea-Bissau in Bissau on Tuesday, September 29, a result that hands the Djurtus control of Group L in the 2027 Africa Cup of Nations qualifiers. As reported by FootballInNigeria.com.ng, Franculino Djú, Mama Baldé and Álvaro Djaló scored at the Estádio 24 de Setembro.
It is Guinea-Bissau’s biggest win over Nigeria, and it lifts them to six points from two games after their 2-0 away win against Tanzania. Nigeria stay second on three points, and the goal difference is stark: plus five for the hosts, minus two for the visitors.
The maths is unforgiving. Tanzania have already booked a place as co-hosts, so only the best placed side among Guinea-Bissau, Nigeria and Madagascar goes through from the group. Madagascar and Tanzania drew 1-1 on Tuesday, leaving both on a point.
A Bad Start on a Bumpy Pitch
Chelle made changes to the team that beat Madagascar 2-1 in Uyo three days earlier, with Bright Osayi-Samuel, Frank Onyeka and Taiwo Awoniyi coming in. Victor Osimhen was again missing through injury.
Ademola Lookman had the first sight of goal on 14 minutes, meeting Alex Iwobi’s pass in the box, but the keeper saved his left footed effort. Guinea-Bissau answered a minute later. Djú picked up the ball on the left, cut inside onto his left foot and curled it past Stanley Nwabali.
Nigeria never found a way back before the break. Onyeka raced into the box on 28 minutes and hit the side netting, while Djú dribbled past three Nigerian players and sent a shot just over the bar. Late in the half, Nwabali kept out an effort from Beto that would have made it 2-0.
Chelle sent on Moses Usor and Moses Simon for Onyeka and Awoniyi at half-time. Both had chances within four minutes of each other, Usor with a weak shot on 50 minutes and Simon on 54, and the keeper saved both. Nwabali then palmed away a goal-bound effort on 57 minutes to keep it at 1-0.
The second goal arrived on 66 minutes. Baldé got the better of Osayi-Samuel and slotted past Nwabali, and the contest was effectively over. Bettors sizing up Nigeria’s chances of recovering can check the YOHAIG promo code before the next qualifiers.
Tolu Arokodare dragged a chance across goal on 71 minutes, and George Ilenikhena struck the keeper from Bruno Onyemaechi’s lofted pass on 86. Neither made a dent.
Djaló, on for Beto in the 79th minute, then finished it in the fifth minute of stoppage time. He ran at the Nigerian box, went past his markers and slotted into the bottom corner.
Chelle’s Verdict
Chelle didn’t hide from the result. “They were more aggressive than us, they were better than us,” he said, adding that his side never found a solution.
He also pointed to the pitch and the heat, though he stopped short of calling either an excuse. Nigeria were playing on the surface for the first time, he noted, while the hosts know it well. New bettors backing the Super Eagles in November can look up the Bet9ja welcome bonus first.
The changes at the break brought a brief lift, according to Chelle, before the intensity faded after about ten minutes. He admitted he can’t say why.
What Comes Next
Four qualifiers remain. Nigeria face Tanzania in a November double-header, then travel to Madagascar before hosting Guinea-Bissau. Chelle says the two Tanzania games must both be won.
He also promised that Guinea-Bissau will meet the same kind of conditions when they come to Nigeria. It’s a pointed line from a coach who knows the return game could decide the group.
Before the Tanzania games, Nigeria play Russia in a friendly on October 6, the last fixture of this international break. Fans who like to test their own forecasts before then can try Super9ja’s free entry alongside the weekend’s NPFL fixtures.
Nigeria trail by three points and seven goals on goal difference, so the closing home game against Guinea-Bissau already looks big. Can a side that never found a solution in Bissau find one in November?
📌 Did You Know?
- Franculino Djú was born in Bissau on June 28, 2004, and grew up in Portugal, joining the Benfica academy in January 2020.
- His first goal for Guinea-Bissau came at the same Estádio 24 de Setembro, in a 2-1 win over Sierra Leone on September 11, 2023.
- Nigeria beat Guinea-Bissau 2-0 at the 2021 Africa Cup of Nations in Cameroon, a game in which Sadiq Umar scored his first goal for the Super Eagles.
- The two sides met again at the 2023 tournament, where Nigeria won 1-0 in the final group game thanks to a first half own goal.
- Legit.ng noted that this is Eric Chelle’s first competitive defeat in regulation time since he took charge of the Super Eagles.
- Both Djú and Baldé scored in Guinea-Bissau’s opening 2-0 win over Tanzania in Zanzibar, so each has scored in both of the Djurtus’ qualifiers.
- Tanzania is one of three AFCON 2027 co-hosts, alongside Kenya and Uganda, which is why only one automatic place is left in Group L.
