AFCON qualifiers: Eric Chelle opens on major setback ahead of Guinea-Bissau

Super Eagles coach, Eric Chelle has revealed a major setback ahead of their 2027 Africa Cup of Nations qualifier against Guinea-Bissau.

He expressed concern over the insufficient time to prepare his team for the game.

Nigeria will face the Djurtus at the Estádio Nacional 24 de Setembro in Bissau, with both teams seeking to build on their respective victories in the opening matchday of the AFCON qualifiers.

Following their triumph over Madagascar, the Super Eagles held a recovery session in Uyo on Saturday before intensifying preparations with an additional training session on Sunday ahead of their departure for Bissau.

On the eve of their encounter with the Djurtus, the players were afforded the opportunity to acclimatise themselves to the Estádio Nacional 24 de Setembro during their final training session.

During the pre-match press conference, Chelle acknowledged that the Super Eagles had only limited time to work on their tactics.

He said, “We didn’t have enough training sessions to work a lot. This is the problem with this kind of FIFA window. You have only one or two training sessions to prepare.

“Subsequently, you have one or two training sessions designated for recovery, and you must travel.

“The paramount consideration is that we reviewed the previous match and conducted a thorough analysis. If you examine the statistical data, you can conclude that we deserved the victory against Madagascar.

“However, the match performance was not particularly impressive. We conceded an early goal, and the match was very difficult for us, which explains my previous remarks.”

Chelle is also concerned about the physical condition of George Ilenikhena ahead of Tuesday evening’s fixture against Guinea-Bissau, while at least two other players are expected to undergo fitness tests.