Eagles battle Wild Dogs for Group L supremacy

The Super Eagles on Tuesday (today) will battle Guinea-Bissau in a top-of-the-table Group L clash, with both sides fresh from opening-day wins and each hoping to gain an early advantage in the race for the group’s lone qualification spot for the 2027 Africa Cup of Nations, PUNCH Sports Extra reports.

Only one team will secure automatic qualification from the section because Tanzania, as co-hosts of the tournament, have already been guaranteed a place. That leaves Nigeria and Guinea-Bissau, the highest-ranked nations in the group, locked in what is already shaping up as a decisive contest at Estadio 24 de Setembro by 5pm Nigerian time.

Guinea-Bissau lead the standings on goal difference after beating Tanzania 2-0 in Zanzibar, Franculino Dju opening the scoring before Mama Balde doubled the lead.

Nigeria, who have three points of their own, also went top on Friday with a 2-1 comeback win over Madagascar in Uyo, and victory in Bissau would give either side a three-point cushion and the upper hand in the head-to-head tiebreaker, the first criterion used to separate teams.

Head coach Eric Chelle is refusing to tip his hand. The Franco-Malian tactician started against Madagascar in a 4-4-2 before switching to 4-2-3-1 as the game wore on, but he would not reveal whether that system would be retained.

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“This is not the same team. They have their strengths and weaknesses,” Chelle said of the Djurtus.

“I have to think what we will do in Guinea-Bissau. I cannot tell you whether we will play that system or not.”

The Eagles landed in Bissau on Sunday evening aboard a chartered aircraft, and Nigeria Football Federation Acting General Secretary Dr Emmanuel Ikpeme urged the players to entertain no distractions.

“Guinea Bissau is a very strong team in every way you look at it. We played them at the 2021 AFCON in Cameroon and we needed all our strength and diligence to win. The team is not one that we can take for granted,” Ikpeme said.

Nigeria and Guinea-Bissau have met four times at senior level, with the Super Eagles winning three. The Wild Dogs’ lone victory came in a 2023 AFCON qualifier in Abuja, Balde scoring the only goal, before Nigeria hit back days later with a 1-0 win in Bissau thanks to a Moses Simon penalty. The Eagles also edged the Djurtus by a single goal at the finals in Ivory Coast. Ethiopia’s Tewodros Mitiku will referee Tuesday’s contest.