By Veronica Ikyegh & Janet Ogblodo (IT)
Guinea-Bissau secured their leadership of Group L of the 2027 Africa Cup of Nations qualifying series when they stunned the Super Eagles by three goals inside the 24 September Stadium in Bissau on Tuesday.
The Djurtus (Wild Dogs) started the game with remarkable intensity, sense of purpose and ambition, and pierced open the Eagles defence in the 10th minute but goalkeeper Stanley Nwabali read the move well and nipped it before any damage could be done.
Shortly after,the hosts were one goal up when the ever-vibrant Franciluno Dju cut inside of Bruno Onyemaechi and shot past Nwabali from the right wing.
Dju was after another goal in the 42nd minute when he waltzed his way into the Nigeria box, but shot over the sticks with only Nwabali to beat.
Coach Éric Chelle brought in Moses Simon and Moses Usor at the beginning of the second half, and Nigeria’s game livened up somewhat. However, Usor, who scored on his debut against Madagascar in Uyo four days earlier, saw his shot saved in the 50th minute, while Simon’s shot from close range three minutes later posed a little threat to the home gatekeeper
Five minutes into the commencement of the added time,Nwabali blocked a vicious close-range shot by Dju, but nine minutes later, Mama Baldé was at the end of another excellent work by the Djurtus that carved open the Nigerian defence, and placed the ball beyond the reach of Nwabali for the hosts’ second of the evening.
Deep into the 56th minutes ,with the Eagles throwing men forward in search of a consolation goal, Alvario Djalo added a third with a classic finish.
The defeat means Nigeria remain in second place in Group L, three points behind Guinea-Bissau, with only one team to qualify from the group. Madagascar and Tanzania, who drew 1-1 in Meknes, Morocco also on Tuesday, have a point each.
Their next fixture for the Super Eagles is a home encounter against Tanzania’s Taifa Stars in Uyo on 13th November, before they fly to Dar es Salaam for their Day 4 encounter against the same team on 17th November.
