The Acting General Secretary of the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF), Dr Emmanuel Ikpeme, has urged the Super Eagles to remain fully focused as they face Guinea-Bissau’s Wild Dogs in Tuesday’s 2027 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) qualifying fixture.
The Group L top-of-the-table clash will take place at the 24 September Stadium in Bissau, with both teams seeking to maintain their winning starts to the qualifying campaign.
The Nigerian delegation arrived in Bissau on Sunday evening aboard a chartered ValueJet aircraft, which touched down at the Aeroporto Internacional Osvaldo Vieira at 7:07pm local time (8:07pm Nigerian time).
The team was received by the Consul of the Embassy of Nigeria in Bissau, Mr Ifeanyi Obuneme Chukwuenyem, officials of the Guinea-Bissau Football Federation and a group of enthusiastic Nigerians led by the President of the Nigerian Community Football Association, Mr Agwu Ojukwu.
Speaking to the players and officials, Ikpeme urged the Eagles to approach the encounter with maximum concentration, warning against underestimating their opponents.
“We were here for a similar AFCON qualifying match three years ago, and we won by a lone goal. Victory is crucial on Tuesday, and I believe you will give your all for the three points as you did three years ago, and as you did on Friday against Madagascar in Uyo,” he said.
“Our focus and concentration must be one hundred percent for the entire 90 minutes, because Guinea-Bissau is a very strong team in every way you look at it.
“We played them at the 2021 AFCON in Cameroon and we needed all our strength and diligence to win. The team is not one that we can take for granted.”
Nigeria defeated Guinea-Bissau 2-0 at the Roumdé Adjia Stadium in Garoua, Cameroon, on January 19, 2022, with Sadiq Umar and William Troost-Ekong scoring in the second half.
The two sides have met four times in official senior internationals, with Nigeria recording three victories.
Guinea-Bissau, however, secured a 1-0 victory over Nigeria in their 2023 AFCON qualifying encounter at the MKO Abiola National Stadium, Abuja, on March 24, 2023. The Super Eagles responded days later with a 1-0 victory in Bissau, Moses Simon scoring from the penalty spot.
At the 2023 AFCON finals in Côte d’Ivoire in 2024, Nigeria again defeated the Wild Dogs 1-0 at the Félix Houphouët-Boigny Stadium in Abidjan.
The Confederation of African Football (CAF) has appointed Ethiopian officials for Tuesday’s encounter, which is scheduled for 4pm Guinea-Bissau time (5pm Nigerian time).
Tewodros Mitiku will serve as the centre referee, assisted by compatriots Fasika Biru Fasika and Tigle Belachew, while Manuhe Woldetsadik will be the fourth official.
Senegalese official Yaya Balde has been appointed match commissioner, while former FIFA referee Papa Bakary Gassama of The Gambia will serve as referee assessor.
