Nigeria’s Super Eagles faced Guinea Bissau with high hopes of winning the tie, but the Djurtus had an effective game plan and won 1-0 with a first-half goal from Mama Balde, pushing them to the top of Group A.
Jose Peseiro started a similar team to the one that lost 4-0 to Portugal in November, making some changes to the lineup.
Guinea Bissau goalkeeper Dalcio Gomes made his first save in the 16th minute, stopping a shot from Osimhen after a pass from Kelechi Iheanacho.
In the 30th minute, Balde scored a goal that surprised the Abuja Stadium crowd by collecting a lofted ball from Opa Sangante from beyond the halfway line.
Nigeria’s central defenders Calvin Bassey and Kevin Akpoguma were caught off guard, and Balde easily passed the ball beyond goalkeeper Francis Uzoho’s dive.
Gomes missed an opportunity to score a second goal in the 36th minute.
In the second half, Peseiro replaced the ineffective Iheanacho and Ademola Lookman with Paul Onuachu and Moses Simon. However, Akpoguma had to leave the game due to an injury caused by Balde’s high boot.
Simon missed a great chance for an equalizer, and Nigeria had another scoring opportunity that was wasted.
Despite adding five minutes of stoppage time, Guinea Bissau held on for the victory, leaving Nigeria seeking revenge in their next meeting in Morocco on Monday.
Following the defeat, fans of the Super Eagles took to social media to lament the defeat.
Here are some reactions gathered by The Quest Times:
@FisayoDairo: Someone said: “Onuachu was introduced to mark Osimhen.”
@TukaLetura: For the first time ever, the Super Eagles of Nigeria have lost five consecutive games. New.
@_AsiwajuLerry: Super Eagles players are the architect of their own downfall in today’s game. Everybody wants to be the star, nobody wants to play the pass to the next player with a better chance to shoot.
@DanielRegha: Super Eagles couldn’t rival Guinea-Bissau with all the stars in the squad; Nigerian players will be unstoppable abroad, breaking records, but won’t put in the same energy once they’re playing for the country. Same thing happened during the last AFCON, & it’s beyond upsetting.
@TheSawgee: The fans at the Abuja stadium seem dead. Pitch looks terrible.Remind me why the super eagles have to play our home games here again?
@AbdulMahmud01: When you appoint a journeyman like Jose Peseiro as your national coach, you get the shocker Guinea Bissau inflicted on the Super Eagles a few minutes ago in Abuja. Happily, Nigeria couldn’t Mahmood the score tonight!
@iDanDizzy: Our field texture can never allow our super eagles players replicate their European form, improve the facilities or these home based African teams would keep humiliating us in important games.
@pamellamodela: Till date, we don’t know what is wrong with the Super Eagles. We got arguably the best players in Africa. Why is it so difficult? If we cannot win at home, I doubt we’ll win away. God help us.
@TheMahleek: Super Eagles wey suppose dey fly, Guinea-Bissau cage dem
@TheYomiKazeem Super Eagles currently playing a special brand of nonsense. This nonsense na one in town. Them suppose trademark am.
@MrOdanz: The most stupid thing I did this week was tuning into this Super Eagles game.