Chelle blames poor pitch, heat after Eagles’ 3-0 defeat

Super Eagles head coach Eric Chelle admitted Guinea-Bissau were the better side on Tuesday, 29 September 2026, after Nigeria suffered a 3-0 defeat to the Djurtus in their 2027 Africa Cup of Nations qualifier in Bissau, while pointing to a difficult pitch and hot weather as contributing factors.

Nigeria entered the Group L fixture with confidence after recovering from an early deficit to beat Madagascar 2-1 in their opening qualifier three days earlier.

Also read: Super Eagles suffer 3-0 defeat to Guinea-Bissau

The Super Eagles, however, struggled to reproduce that performance against Guinea-Bissau, who controlled much of the contest and displayed greater intensity from the opening stages.

Franculino Djú put the hosts ahead in the first half before Mama Baldé doubled the advantage after the interval.

Álvaro Djaló completed the emphatic victory in stoppage time, leaving Nigeria with three points from their opening two matches.

Chelle accepted that Guinea-Bissau deserved the result, acknowledging that Nigeria failed to match the hosts’ aggression.

“They were more aggressive than us; they were better than us,” Chelle said after the match.

The French-Algerian coach also highlighted the playing conditions, although he stressed that they should not be treated as an excuse for the defeat.

“Though this is not an excuse, they know their pitch. They usually play on this pitch, but for us, it was the first time, and the pitch was very bad. The weather was very hot too,” he said.

Chelle said Guinea-Bissau appeared more motivated and intense throughout the encounter, while Nigeria struggled to respond effectively.

“Guinea-Bissau entered the game more motivated and more aggressive. They put more intensity, and we never found a solution,” the coach said.

Nigeria attempted to alter the pattern of the match after half-time, but Chelle said those adjustments failed to produce a sustained response.

“We tried to go forward after halftime, to bring something new, but after 10 minutes, we stopped, and I don’t know why,” he added.

The defeat represents a sharp change in momentum for Nigeria, who had produced a spirited comeback against Madagascar in their opening fixture.

Guinea-Bissau, meanwhile, followed up their opening 2-0 away victory over co-hosts Tanzania with another win to move to six points from two matches.

The result gives the Djurtus an early advantage in a group where only the highest-placed non-host nation will qualify alongside Tanzania, who are already guaranteed a place at the 2027 tournament as co-hosts.

Nigeria now have three points and will have to regroup before the next round of qualifiers in November.

For Chelle, the immediate task will be to identify why Nigeria struggled to match the intensity of their opponents and ensure the defeat does not derail their campaign.

Also read: Super Eagles suffer 3-0 defeat to Guinea-Bissau

The coach’s comments acknowledge the challenging conditions in Bissau, but his admission that Guinea-Bissau were superior on the night also points to areas Nigeria must address before their next qualifying assignment.