Nigeria Football Federation Acting General Secretary Dr Emmanuel Ikpeme has urged the Super Eagles to maintain total concentration when they face Guinea-Bissau in the 2027 Africa Cup of Nations qualifiers, Bold Sports reports.
The Group L encounter takes place at the 24 September Stadium in Bissau on Tuesday, September 29. Both teams opened their campaigns with victories and enter the fixture on three points.
Super Eagles carry winning momentum
Nigeria come into the match after a 2-1 comeback victory over Madagascar in Uyo. George Ilenikhena and Moses Usor scored as the Super Eagles recovered from an early deficit.
Guinea-Bissau also started with a win. The Wild Dogs defeated Tanzania 2-0 away from home. Franculino Djú and Mama Baldé scored in that result.
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The result leaves both teams level on three points. Guinea-Bissau currently sit above Nigeria on goal difference. The meeting in Bissau therefore carries early importance in Group L.
Tanzania already hold an automatic place as a co-host of AFCON 2027. As a result, Nigeria, Guinea-Bissau and Madagascar are competing for the qualifying place available to the highest-ranked non-host team.
Ikpeme recalls previous meeting
Ikpeme wants the players to approach the contest with maximum concentration.
“We were here for a similar AFCON qualifying match three years ago, and we won by a lone goal. Victory is crucial on Tuesday, and I believe you will give your all for the three points as you did three years ago, and as you did on Friday against Madagascar in Uyo.
“Our focus and concentration must be one hundred percent for the entire 90 minutes, because 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.”
Nigeria defeated Guinea-Bissau 1-0 at the 2021 AFCON in Cameroon. Sadiq Umar and William Troost-Ekong scored in the second half of that January 19, 2022 fixture.
The teams also met during the 2023 AFCON qualifying campaign. Guinea-Bissau won 1-0 in Abuja before Nigeria secured a 1-0 victory in Bissau. Moses Simon converted the decisive penalty.
Eagles arrive in Bissau
Nigeria travelled to Bissau on Sunday after beginning the qualification campaign with victory in Uyo. The squad arrived aboard a chartered ValueJet aircraft at the Aeroporto Internacional Osvaldo Vieira.
The delegation received a welcome from Nigerian diplomatic representatives, Guinea-Bissau football officials and members of the Nigerian community.
The Super Eagles will now prepare for their second Group L fixture. Their meeting with Guinea-Bissau comes four days after the opening round of matches.
With both teams already on three points, the result could shape the early standings before the qualifiers continue. Nigeria will therefore head into Tuesday’s game knowing the importance of maintaining the intensity that delivered victory against Madagascar.
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