Nigeria ended 2022 on a poor note, but Friday’s (today’s) 2023 Africa Cup of Nations qualifier against Guinea‑Bissau offers José Peseiro’s side a chance to get back on track, Sports Extra reports. The Super Eagles have lost their last three games—to Algeria, Costa Rica and Portugal—and will now seek to return to winning ways against the Djurtus, who suffered a 2‑0 defeat in their last encounter with the three‑time Africa champions at the 2022 AFCON in Garoua, Cameroon.
Second‑half goals from Umar Sadiq and William Troost‑Ekong secured Nigeria’s first‑ever win over Guinea‑Bissau. Unbeaten at home since 2021, the Eagles will look to put on a dominant display in front of an expectant crowd at the Moshood Abiola Stadium in Abuja. Their opponents have won only one of their last nine away matches across all competitions. Last June, the Djurtus were denied a perfect AFCON qualifying record after a 2‑2 draw with Sierra Leone at the General Lansana Conte Stadium. After taking a two‑goal lead through Jorginho’s brace, Baciro Cande’s side seemed set for a big win before late goals from Augustus Kargbo and Musa Kamara forced a share of the spoils.
With four points from their opening two matches, the Djurtus sit second in Group A, two points behind the Eagles. Speaking ahead of the game, Victor Osimhen—who will lead the attack alongside Terem Moffi—said the 118th‑ranked Djurtus should not be underrated. “We are looking forward to it,” Osimhen told the NFF Media Team. “I’m happy to be back with the squad. It’s an amazing feeling and we expect an amazing result in the two‑legged game against Guinea‑Bissau. We don’t underrate our opponents; we want to give them the respect they deserve. The boys are ready, we have high spirits, and we will give our all on Friday. I also look forward to the second leg in Guinea‑Bissau and to contributing to the team.”
Osimhen has now scored 15 goals for Nigeria, placing him ninth on the all‑time scoring list and giving him the best goal‑to‑game ratio among the top ten scorers. Atalanta forward Ademola Lookman also expressed confidence that the Eagles will prevail over the two legs. “I’m looking forward to another big game for us in the qualification for the AFCON,” Lookman told NFF TV. “It’s an opportunity to get close to qualification. It’s always nice to score goals, which I’ve been doing, so I want to bring that into the team and keep working hard. But the most important thing is for the team to win and qualify for the AFCON.”
The Eagles need only six points from their remaining four games to secure a ticket to the 2023 Africa Cup of Nations. This comes after Sierra Leone drew 2‑2 at home with São Tomé and Príncipe—the same team Nigeria thrashed 10‑0 at the Stade Adrar in Agadir in June last year. The result leaves Sierra Leone with two points after three games, while São Tomé and Príncipe have just one point.
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