Nigeria’s hopes of making a strong start to their 2027 Africa Cup of Nations qualifying campaign suffered a major setback on Tuesday as the Super Eagles were beaten 3-0 by Guinea-Bissau in their second Group L fixture.
The hosts took control of the game early and broke the deadlock in the 15th minute through Franculino Djú. The forward found space inside the box after being picked out by Renato Nhaga before calmly firing a left-footed effort past Nigeria goalkeeper Stanley Nwabali.
Nigeria responded with a spell of pressure as they searched for an equaliser before the break. Alex Iwobi created a promising opportunity for Ademola Lookman, but Guinea-Bissau goalkeeper Embadjé produced an excellent save to deny the Nigerian forward.
Despite Nigeria’s attempts to get back into the contest, Guinea-Bissau remained dangerous after the restart and eventually doubled their lead in the 65th minute.
Mama Baldé was at the centre of the hosts’ second goal, receiving the ball from Mamadi Camará on the left before sending a low shot into the Nigerian net.
With the Super Eagles trailing by two goals, changes were made in an effort to turn the game around. George Ilenikhena and Raphael Onyedika were introduced in the 75th minute, replacing Akor Adams and Wilfred Ndidi.
However, the changes failed to produce the desired response as Nigeria struggled to create clear opportunities and reduce the deficit.
Guinea-Bissau then put the result beyond doubt in stoppage time. Álvaro Djaló raced onto a through ball from Tamble Monteiro before finishing with his right foot to complete a memorable 3-0 victory for the hosts.
Nigeria Now Under Pressure
The defeat is a significant blow for Nigeria, who had opened their Group L campaign with a 2-1 victory over Madagascar.
After two matches, Guinea-Bissau sit at the top of the group with six points from a possible six. Nigeria remain second with three points, while Madagascar and Tanzania have one point each.
The Super Eagles will now need to regroup quickly and improve their performances as the qualifying campaign continues. With plenty of matches still to play, Nigeria have an opportunity to recover, but Tuesday’s heavy defeat has made their path to qualification more challenging.
