Guinea-Bissau vs. Nigeria - prediction, team news, lineups

Fresh disconnected opening-matchday wins successful Africa Cup of Nations qualifying, Guinea-Bissau and Nigeria conscionable successful the 2nd circular of matches connected Tuesday, some aiming to summation the aboriginal vantage successful Group L. 

With lone 1 spot alternatively of the accustomed 2 disposable successful their conception due to the fact that AFCON 2027 co-hosts Tanzania are successful the group, immoderate aboriginal vantage benefits the victor successful Bissau.

Match preview

Nigeria’s know-how without Victor Osimhen has often been questioned, and the Super Eagles appeared to beryllium facing different tricky concern aft falling down to Madagascar successful Uyo. 

The West African giants conceded to Ehsan Kari’s onslaught successful the 16th infinitesimal and seemed to deficiency the indispensable attacking fluency and cohesion to equalise oregon adjacent overturn the deficit. 

Those concerns were alleviated arsenic the lucifer neared its halfway point, with debutant George Ilenikhena scoring successful first-half stoppage time. 

The turnaround was yet completed by different subordinate making his archetypal Super Eagles appearance, with Moses Usor netting his maiden extremity aft the hr to spare Eric Chelle’s men’s blushes connected their location turf, and determination was inactive clip for Tolu Arokodare to deed the woodwork aft being acceptable up by Alex Iwobi. 

The upshot of Friday’s occurrence means Nigeria is joint-top of Group L heading into this week’s clash successful Bissau, wherever different 3 points volition spot them 3 points up of whoever ends this circular of qualifying successful second. 

Given that Tanzania’s spot is assured, finishing apical of Group L has ne'er been much important for the winners of their section. 

As such, Guinea-Bissau’s triumph implicit the 2027 finals co-hosts provided the beardown commencement that Emiliano Te’s troops needed. 

Mama Balde (who else?) doubled Djurtus’ pb aft Franculino Dju’s onslaught successful the 33rd infinitesimal to enactment the visitors successful a promising presumption heading into the last half-hour successful Zanzibar. 

Having travel done their Tanzania trial unscathed, Te’s squad present faces the highest-ranked federation successful their section, hoping to stun Chelle’s broadside to not lone summation a three-point pb but besides person the precocious manus connected head-to-head, the main tiebreaker successful AFCON qualifying.

That result would enactment the three-time Cup of Nations participants successful a promising presumption to instrumentality to the continental showpiece aft missing retired connected the tourney successful Morocco, ending their tally of consecutive involvements. 

However, an inferior head-to-head against Nigeria puts them astatine a flimsy disadvantage connected paper, adjacent if fans of Djurtus volition callback that their nation’s lone triumph implicit the Super Eagles came successful AFCON qualifying for the 2023 finals, with Balde scoring the sole extremity successful Abuja. 

Indeed, a repeat, albeit successful Bissau, would beryllium conscionable what the doc ordered for Te’s troops.

Guinea-Bissau Africa Cup of Nations Qualifying form:

Guinea-Bissau signifier (all competitions):

Nigeria Africa Cup of Nations Qualifying form:

Nigeria signifier (all competitions):

Team News

Missing done wounded for the hosts are Fali Cande and Elves Balde, owed to a semipermanent genu wounded and musculus complaints; however, Ronaldo Vieira volition beryllium assessed aft seemingly going disconnected with a suspected wounded successful the triumph implicit Tanzania.

Fresh disconnected scoring for the 4th consecutive twelvemonth for Guinea-Bissau, Mama Balde enters Tuesday keen to daze the Super Eagles erstwhile much aft scoring the lone extremity successful Djurtus’ triumph successful Abuja 3 years ago. 

The guardant is the apical scorer successful the existent Guinea-Bissau group, highlighting the location nation’s reliance connected their eight-goal antheral to transportation the goalscoring responsibility.

Fiorentina guardant Beto, formerly of Everton, besides poses a carnal menace and notably acceptable up 1 of Os Dromedarios’ 2 goals successful past Friday’s triumph implicit the Taifa Stars of Tanzania.

Maduka Okoye’s delayed accomplishment successful campy has efficaciously made Chelle’s determination for him regarding who is No. 1 for the qualifiers, with Stanley Nwabali expected to clasp his spot successful goal. 

However, the Super Eagles brag whitethorn instrumentality immoderate changes astatine full-back and successful attack. 

Ola Aina could beryllium replaced by Bright Osayi-Samuel astatine right-back, adjacent though the former’s antiaircraft acumen makes him the favourite to start, portion Usor and Moses Simon are pushing for starts astatine the disbursal of Samuel Chukwueze and Akor Adams respectively. 

Guinea-Bissau imaginable starting lineup:

Embadje; Encada, Sangante, Rofino, Simao; Dju, Dalcio, Semedo, Balde; Nhaga, Beto 

Nigeria imaginable starting lineup:

Nwabali; Aina, Ajayi, Bassey, Onyemaechi; Usor, Ndidi, Iwobi, Simon; Ilenikhena, Lookman 

We say: Guinea-Bissau 1-1 Nigeria

While Nigeria arrives successful Bissau arsenic steadfast favourites, they look a resilient Djurtus outfit determined to replicate their celebrated 2023 qualifying upset. 

Assuming Balde tin exploit immoderate lingering antiaircraft frailties and the hosts support their tactical discipline, Te’s men person capable attacking tone to frustrate the Super Eagles and unafraid a hard-fought stock of the spoils.

For information investigation of the astir apt results, scorelines and much for this lucifer delight click here.