Nigeria head coach Eric Chelle has admitted that Nigeria face a difficult road back to the 2027 Africa Cup of Nations qualification race after their heavy defeat to Guinea-Bissau, insisting that victory in both November meetings with Tanzania is now crucial.

Nigeria suffered a 3-0 defeat to Guinea-Bissau on Tuesday in Bissau, a result that left the Super Eagles needing to respond quickly in the remaining matches of their Group L campaign.  

The defeat came just days after Nigeria opened their qualifying campaign with a 2-1 comeback victory over Madagascar in Uyo, making the setback in Bissau particularly costly.

Chelle acknowledged that Guinea-Bissau were superior on the night, pointing to their aggression, intensity and attitude as key differences between the two teams.

“They were more aggressive than us,” the Franco-Malian coach said after the match.  

He also identified the playing surface and hot weather conditions as factors that made the encounter more difficult for Nigeria, although he stopped short of presenting them as excuses.

Chelle said Nigeria attempted to change their approach after the interval, particularly by using one-on-one situations on the wings, but the plan failed to produce the desired response.

The coach, however, insisted that the defeat has not ended Nigeria’s qualification hopes and immediately turned his attention to the two matches against Tanzania scheduled for November.

“We have two games against Tanzania in November, we have to win both games,” Chelle said.  

He added that Guinea-Bissau would subsequently travel to Uyo, where Nigeria would have the opportunity to reverse the circumstances of Tuesday’s encounter.

After the Tanzania fixtures, Nigeria will have further matches against Madagascar and Guinea-Bissau, leaving four games in total for the Super Eagles to reshape their qualification campaign.  

Chelle acknowledged the difficult situation but maintained confidence in his squad, urging the players and supporters to remain calm and focused.

“I’m very confident about my team and this group,” he said, describing the Bissau defeat as the first occasion he had seen his team perform at such a low level.  

The coach said the team must learn from the setback, understand its strengths and weaknesses and avoid allowing the defeat to derail the remainder of the campaign.

Nigeria now face a significant November assignment, with the two matches against Tanzania carrying major importance for their hopes of remaining in contention for qualification for the 2027 AFCON.