Guinea-Bissau Beat Nigeria 3-0, And Chelle Says They Were Better

Sports

Abuja · Thursday 1 October 2026

Guinea-Bissau beat Nigeria 3-0 in Bissau on Tuesday in the second round of 2027 Africa Cup of Nations qualifying. Eric Chelle admitted afterwards that the home side were the better team. The Super Eagles flew back into Abuja with three points from two games and a group that now belongs to somebody else.

Franculino Dju, the Trabzonspor forward, opened the scoring on 15 minutes. The Guinea-Bissau captain Mama Balde made it two on 66 minutes, and Alvaro Djalo added the third late on.

empty football stadium seats dusk Photograph by Skyler Smith via Unsplash.

Five days ago we said the second game was the harder one

On Saturday this site wrote that Guinea-Bissau away, three days after an emotional home win, on an unfamiliar surface, was exactly where Nigerian qualifying campaigns had leaked points before. It turned out to be worse than leaking. Nigeria conceded early for the second game running and, unlike against Madagascar, never got back into it.

Changes Chelle made
In	Frank Onyeka, Bright Osayi-Samuel, Taiwo Awoniyi
Out	Samuel Chukwueze, Ola Aina, George Ilenikhena

Three changes to a side that had won, and none of them improved it.

The pattern worth worrying about. Nigeria went a goal down inside twenty minutes in both qualifiers this month. Against Madagascar, at home, the attack had time to recover. Away, against a side with real pace up front, conceding first meant chasing the game on a poor pitch against opponents who were comfortable sitting on a lead.

Madagascar showed this squad can come from behind. Guinea-Bissau showed it cannot keep doing it.

Who did not turn up

Premium Times singled out Ademola Lookman, Akor Adams and Awoniyi as an attack that never found a focal point without Victor Osimhen, and a midfield that left the back four exposed. Calvin Bassey was one of the few to come out of the night with credit. The debutants who won Friday's game were either injured or on the bench.

Reporting: Premium Times, Vanguard, NotJustOk and Legit.ng.

Read next

• What Nigeria Now Needs To Reach AFCON 2027
• Nwabali Conceded Three, And Okoye Posted Something Cryptic
• Tinubu Says Nigeria Has Crossed Its Red Sea

If you argue about Nigerian football for a living, you may as well dress like it. Caps and tees are in the TalkTalkNigeria store, and Naira pricing is here.