AFCON 2027 qualifiers: Nigeria face Guinea-Bissau pitch nightmare as Super Eagles seek consecutive wins

Nigeria’s preparations for Tuesday’s Africa Cup of Nations qualifier against Guinea-Bissau have been overshadowed by concerns over the condition of the pitch at Estádio 24 de Setembro in Bissau.

The Super Eagles arrived in Bissau in a positive mood following their 2-1 victory over Madagascar in Uyo, but the playing surface has emerged as a major concern ahead of their second Group A fixture.

Nigeria and Guinea-Bissau both have three points after winning their opening matches, making Tuesday’s meeting an early opportunity for either side to take control of the group.

Speaking from Bissau, Andrew Randa, who is part of the Nigeria Football Federation’s media delegation, said the players had used their final training session to familiarise themselves with the difficult surface.

“Everybody looks relaxed,” Randa said, describing the mood around the squad.

“There was a training session yesterday, about one hour, where the players felt out the pitch. You could see they were much more relaxed—they were talking about the pitch and about some of the players who played in Nigeria, talking about the kind of pitches they played on back in the day, and how they think that experience will help them today.”

The condition of the pitch has attracted attention after videos showing its state circulated online, raising questions about whether it is suitable for a match of this level.

Chelle forced to consider different approach

The concerns are not limited to the Nigerian camp, with some Guinea-Bissau players also reportedly unhappy with the condition of their home surface.

“Some of the Guinea-Bissau players actually complained about the pitch too, and some said they would have preferred to play in Morocco,” Randa explained.

The situation has left the NFF media delegation questioning how Guinea-Bissau secured approval to stage the fixture at the venue.

“Everybody, including myself, thought the game would be played in Morocco, but about 11 to 13 days before our game against Madagascar, we found out Guinea-Bissau had been given the nod to host the game,” he said.

For Nigeria, however, the surface cannot become an excuse for dropping points.

The Super Eagles want to build on their opening victory and remain firmly focused on collecting another three points, despite the conditions they will face.

“The pitch isn’t exactly what it should be, and there are concerns among the players. But again, they’re going to give their best, because they know they need to build on the three points they got against Madagascar,” Randa said.

“That point is non-negotiable — it’s the utmost thing on their minds right now.”

Head coach Eric Chelle is also expected to factor the surface into his tactical decisions, with the pitch potentially influencing how Nigeria attempt to control possession and create opportunities.

“Even Eric Chelle said the pitch will determine what kind of game plan he puts out today,” Randa added.

“So the pitch is a very big concern, and personally I don’t know how Guinea-Bissau were able to pull this off. But no excuses—both teams play on the same pitch, and I hope Nigeria gets the three points.”

VAR uncertainty adds another concern

Nigeria could also have to contend with the absence of Video Assistant Referee technology in Bissau.

Randa said he does not expect VAR to be available for the qualifier, meaning contentious decisions will likely be left entirely to the match officials on the field.

“I don’t think so,” he said when asked whether VAR would be used.

The issue has particular relevance after Nigeria’s victory over Madagascar, with questions raised over the validity of the opening goal.

“If VAR had been available, we probably would have seen it used in the game against Madagascar—a lot of people, myself included, thought the first goal was offside,” Randa said.

“If VAR was in place, that decision, among a couple of others, would probably have been checked.”

Nigeria face Guinea-Bissau at 16:00 GMT on Tuesday, September 29, at Estádio 24 de Setembro.

With both teams on three points, the Super Eagles will look to overcome the difficult pitch, avoid officiating controversy and leave Bissau with another victory in their AFCON 2027 qualifying campaign.