AFCON 2027 qualifiers: Eric Chelle refuses to panic after Guinea-Bissau humiliation as Nigeria’s hopes remain alive

Nigeria coach Eric Chelle remains confident the Super Eagles can still qualify for the 2027 Africa Cup of Nations despite suffering a humiliating 3-0 defeat to Guinea-Bissau on Tuesday.

The three-time African champions were comprehensively beaten in Bissau, suffering their first defeat of the qualifying campaign just three days after edging Madagascar 2-1 in Uyo.

The result leaves Nigeria second in Group L with three points from two matches, three points behind Guinea-Bissau, who have made a perfect start to the qualifiers.

Chelle acknowledged that the hosts deserved their victory but pointed to the difficult conditions as factors that contributed to Nigeria’s poor performance.

“They were more aggressive than us, they were better than us,” Chelle’s told the media.

The French-Malian coach admitted his team struggled to match Guinea-Bissau’s intensity from the outset, with the hosts taking advantage of their familiarity with the playing conditions.

“Though this is not an excuse but they know their pitch, they usually play on this pitch but for us it was the first time and the pitch was very bad and the weather was very hot too.”

Nigeria fail to find answers

Nigeria never established control of the contest as Guinea-Bissau imposed themselves and repeatedly disrupted the Super Eagles’ attempts to build attacks.

Chelle conceded that his players failed to adapt quickly enough to the demands of the match, allowing the hosts to dictate the tempo and maintain pressure.

“So Guinea-Bissau entered the game more motivated, more aggressive, they put more intensity and we never found a solution.”

The defeat represents a significant setback for Nigeria after their encouraging opening-day victory over Madagascar. However, Chelle believes the result does not define their qualification campaign, with four matches still remaining in Group L.

Nigeria will need a strong response in their upcoming fixtures if they are to reclaim top spot and avoid putting their qualification hopes under unnecessary pressure.

With three points separating the Super Eagles from Guinea-Bissau, the race remains open, but Chelle’s side must quickly address the shortcomings exposed in Bissau.

For a team seeking to return to the continental showpiece, consistency will now be crucial. The Super Eagles have shown they can win, but Tuesday’s heavy defeat underlined the need for a more resilient performance when conditions become difficult.

Chelle will therefore be tasked with ensuring Nigeria learn from the loss and respond positively when the qualifiers resume.