Eric Chelle Sends Message to Nigerians After Super Eagles Lost 3–0 to Guinea-Bissau
- Guinea-Bissau handed Nigeria a 3-0 defeat on matchday two of the 2027 AFCON qualifiers, with goals spread across both halves
- The result dropped the Super Eagles to second place in their qualifying group, six points behind Guinea-Bissau
- Head coach Eric Chelle faced the press after the match and addressed Nigerian fans directly following the performance
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Nigeria's Super Eagles suffered a heavy 3-0 defeat to Guinea-Bissau on matchday two of the 2027 Africa Cup of Nations qualifiers, prompting head coach Eric Chelle to publicly apologise to Nigerian supporters after the final whistle.
Both sides had entered the fixture level on points, each having won their opening group games against Madagascar and Tanzania respectively, and were fighting for Group L supremacy.
Source: Getty Images
Guinea-Bissau drew first blood through Franculino Dju in the 15th minute, and the Wild Dogs took that lead into the break. Nigeria were unable to find a way back into the match after the restart.
Mama Balde extended the hosts' advantage in the 66th minute, and Alvaro Djalo added a third in the closing seconds to complete a dominant scoreline for Guinea-Bissau.
The result left Guinea-Bissau top of the group on six points, with Nigeria sitting second on three. Madagascar and Tanzania have one point each.
Chelle takes responsibility for defeat
Speaking at his post-match press conference, Chelle did not deflect blame despite raising concerns about the playing surface.
“I apologise to the fans. Guinea-Bissau were the better side. The pitch is also bad, but we accept responsibility,” he said.
The defeat has drawn sharp criticism from the Nigerian football community, with many questioning the team's performance across the 90 minutes.
Nigeria will not have an immediate opportunity to respond in competitive football. The next international window is in November, when the Super Eagles face a double-header against Tanzania in the qualifiers. Before then, a friendly against Russia is scheduled for October 6.
Source: Legit.ng
