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The Super Eagles will leave Nigeria for Bissau on Sunday as preparations intensify for the second Group L match of the 2027 Africa Cup of Nations qualifying campaign against Guinea-Bissau on Tuesday 29 September 2026.
Coach Éric Chelle and his players will hold a closed-door training session at 10am on Sunday before heading to the airport at 2pm for their 3pm departure to Guinea-Bissau. Project reports
The team’s schedule means the players will have limited time to recover from Friday’s opening win over Madagascar and adapt to conditions ahead of another important qualifying match.
Nigeria started their qualifying campaign on a winning note in Uyo, coming from behind to beat Madagascar 2-1 at the Godswill Akpabio International Stadium. Madagascar took the lead in the 16th minute through Ehsan Kari, but debutant George Ilenikhena equalized in first-half stoppage time before another debutant, Moses Usor, completed the comeback in the 65th minute.
Ilenikhena and Usor make a dream debut
The win provided a big boost to Chelle’s team after Nigeria had initially struggled to break down a disciplined Madagascar defence. Ilenikhena, making his senior debut, responded to the early setback by producing a composed finish in the 45th minute plus one, connecting with a pass from Alex Iwobi to bring the Super Eagles level before half-time.
Usor then produced another memorable debut when he put Nigeria ahead in the second half. The LASK winger collected the ball on the right, advanced, cut inside two defenders and fired a low left-footed shot into the net to give Nigeria the lead. The two debutants then scored the goals that gave Chelle’s team maximum points in the first match.
The starting line-up against Madagascar also gave an indication of the core Chelle could rely on in Bissau. Stanley Nwabali started in goal, with Ola Aina, Semi Ajayi, Calvin Bassey and Bruno Onyemaechi forming the defensive line. Captain Wilfred Ndidi and Alex Iwobi operated in midfield, while Ademola Lookman and Samuel Chukwueze provided the width of the attack, with Ilenikhena and Akor Adams leading the attack.
Super Eagles have attack options
Chelle still has a number of attacking options at her disposal for the match against Guinea-Bissau. Apart from Ilenikhena, Usor and Adams, the squad includes Moses Simon, Taiwo Awoniyi, Tolu Arokodare, Ademola Lookman and Samuel Chukwueze, giving the coach several options as he considers his selection for Tuesday’s match.
Awoniyi is particularly important for the traveling squad after being called up to replace Victor Osimhen, who was ruled out of both AFCON qualifiers due to injury. The Coventry City striker returned to international duty as Chelle reshaped her attacking options for the two international matches.
The midfield also offers considerable experience, with captain Ndidi, Iwobi, Frank Onyeka and Raphael Onyedika available. Defensively, the coach can rely on Aina, Bassey, Ajayi, Onyemaechi, Bright Osayi-Samuel, Benjamin Fredricks, Emmanuel Fernandez, Chibuike Nwaiwu and Isaac James, while Arthur Okonkwo, Maduka Okoye and Nwabali provide the goalkeeping options.
Maduka Okoye, who arrived in Uyo on Friday morning after a delayed return to camp, was part of the squad for the Madagascar match but did not start, with Nwabali retaining the goalkeeping position. Okoye’s availability gives Chelle another experienced option as the team heads to Bissau.
Guinea-Bissau arrives with three points
Nigeria’s opponents will approach Tuesday’s match with confidence after Guinea-Bissau produced one of the most impressive results of the opening round by beating Tanzania 2-0 away from home on Friday.
Franculino Djú opened the scoring for Guinea-Bissau in the 33rd minute before Mama Baldé added the second goal in the 58th minute. The result means Guinea-Bissau also started their qualifying campaign with three points, setting up a potentially significant contest when Nigeria visit Bissau.
The victory over Tanzania is particularly important because Tanzania is one of the three co-hosting countries of AFCON 2027 along with Kenya and Uganda and already has a guaranteed place at the final. As a result, only the highest-placed non-host nation in Group L will qualify, effectively turning the group into a three-way contest involving Nigeria, Guinea-Bissau and Madagascar.
Chelle faces selection decisions
The brief turnaround between the Madagascar and Guinea-Bissau matches leaves Chelle with limited preparation time. Training behind closed doors on Sunday will offer the coach another opportunity to evaluate the physical conditions of his players, work on tactical adjustments and identify the most suitable personnel for the trip.
The Super Eagles will also have to deal with the change in environment and the pressure of playing away from home. Unlike Friday’s match, where Nigeria had the support of the home crowd in Uyo, Tuesday’s match will require the team to remain disciplined and focused in what is expected to be a challenging atmosphere in Bissau.
Defensive unity will be particularly important as Nigeria looks to prevent Guinea-Bissau from replicating the attacking efficiency that won them victory in Tanzania. On the other hand, Chelle will expect players like Lookman, Iwobi, Chukwueze, Adams, Ilenikhena, Usor, Simon, Awoniyi and Arokodare to provide the attacking threat.
The Eagles are aiming for their second consecutive victory
The Super Eagles currently sit on three points after their opening round, while Guinea-Bissau also have three points after their win over Tanzania. Madagascar will face Tanzania in their other Group L match on Tuesday.
A win in Bissau would therefore put Nigeria in a strong early position in the race to finish as the highest-scoring non-host nation in the group. However, the result in Tanzania also showed that Guinea-Bissau cannot be treated lightly, especially after their impressive away performance.
Chelle’s team will therefore travel with the aim of maintaining their winning start while improving some aspects of their performance in Madagascar. The Super Eagles conceded first in Uyo but recovered through Ilenikhena and Usor, and the coaching crew will be looking for a more controlled performance from the start in Bissau.
Final training before departure
The team will have one last opportunity to work together in Nigeria when training begins at 10am on Sunday. The session will be closed to the press while Chelle finalizes her plans for the second qualifying match.
Players and referees are expected at the airport by 2pm before the delegation leaves Nigeria at 3pm for Bissau. With the match scheduled for Tuesday, the early departure should give the Super Eagles enough time to settle in and complete their final preparations in Guinea-Bissau.
The meeting is scheduled for 4pm Nigeria time on Tuesday, September 29. For Nigeria, the objective is clear: build on their 2-1 comeback against Madagascar, secure another three points and strengthen their position in what has already emerged as a hotly contested Group L qualifier.
