Super Eagles coach Éric Chelle has said that Guinea-Bissau was more aggressive and intense than Nigeria in Tuesday's 3-0 defeat. He admitted that his team struggled to match the host's determination in the 2027 Africa Cup of Nations qualifying match.
The loss at the 24 September Stadium in Bissau was a setback for Nigeria. They had started their Group L campaign with a 2-1 comeback win over Madagascar in Uyo on Friday.
After the match, Chelle said Guinea-Bissau showed more aggression and personality. He noted that the Super Eagles could not find ways to deal with their opponents.
"They were more aggressive than us. When you try to play, score and impose yourself, you need that aggression in your mentality to make the difference. I think they were better than us in terms of personality," he said.
The coach also mentioned the tough playing conditions but made it clear that they were not an excuse for the loss.
"This is not an excuse, but if you look at the conditions, they know their pitch. They usually play on that surface, but for us, it was the first time, and the pitch was very, very bad. The weather conditions were also very poor.
"Guinea-Bissau came into the game, as I said, more motivated and more aggressive. They showed greater intensity, and we never found a solution."
Chelle questions second-half response
Chelle said he tried to change the team’s strategy after the break. He encouraged the players to attack from the sides and create one-on-one chances.
But he was disappointed that the Super Eagles did not keep up this approach.
"We tried to go forward after half-time and bring something new, using one-on-one situations on the flanks. But after 10 minutes, we stopped. We stopped, and I don’t know why," he said.
Chelle added that the team needs to honestly look at its performance. They must find out what went wrong instead of just focusing on the result.
"Once again, we have to be very objective about this game. But this is not the end. We still have a lot of games to play."
Tanzania fixtures become crucial
With four matches left in the qualifying campaign, Chelle highlighted Nigeria’s two November matches against Tanzania as very important.
"We have two games against Tanzania in November, and we have to win both. After that, Guinea-Bissau will come to Nigeria, and we have to put them in the same conditions that we experienced in Guinea-Bissau," he said.
The coach stressed that the Super Eagles must stay calm despite the loss. He is confident in the players to bounce back.
"I’m very confident about my team and this group. Today was not a good day for us. This is the first time I have seen my team perform like that, but we have to move forward.
"Both games against Tanzania are very important. After that, we have the final matches against Madagascar and Guinea-Bissau. A lot can happen in four games, so we have to stay focused and calm.
"We know our strengths and our weaknesses. Today was a bad day for us, but I’m still confident about my team and my players."
Nigeria will now focus on the November matches against Tanzania as they aim to recover from the loss and keep their qualification hopes alive.
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