Akor Adams accepts Nigeria defeat but criticises ‘unacceptable’ Africa Cup of Nations pitch

Akor Adams has accepted responsibility for Nigeria’s 3-0 defeat by Guinea-Bissau in the Africa Cup of Nations 2027 qualifiers, while criticising the playing surface at the Stade 24 de Setembro.

The striker, speaking publicly for the first time since the humiliating loss, said the condition of the pitch was below the standard expected in African football. His comments amounted to an indirect message to the Confederation of African Football (CAF).

“A good pitch is the bare minimum for African football,” Adams said in an interview with the Super Eagles’ media service.

Nigeria were beaten last week by a Guinea-Bissau side ranked 106 places below them in the Fifa world rankings. The poor state of the surface became a major talking point after the match, with head coach Eric Chelle identifying it as one of the factors behind the result.

Adams, who plays for Venezia, combined an admission of Nigeria’s shortcomings with a call for better infrastructure. The defeat left the Super Eagles second in Group L, three points behind Guinea-Bissau.

The group also includes Tanzania, who are co-hosts of the 2027 Africa Cup of Nations and will qualify automatically. That leaves only one direct qualification place available, increasing the importance of every remaining result and making further setbacks potentially decisive.

Nigeria will look to recover some momentum when they face Russia in a friendly on Tuesday. Chelle will not have his full regular squad available for the match, but Adams is included.

The immediate priority is to rebuild understanding within the team before the next round of Africa Cup of Nations qualifying matches.