Super Eagles land in Guinea-Bissau as Chelle aims to avoid repeat of 2023 disaster

Nigeria’s Super Eagles have landed in Guinea-Bissau ahead of their clash against the Djurtus on Tuesday, Soccernet.ng reports.

​Last Friday, Eric Chelle’s men grabbed the maximum three points from their opening game of the 2027 Africa Cup of Nations qualifying series after coming from a goal down to defeat Madagascar 2-1 at the Godswill Akpabio Stadium.

​However, they still sit second in Group L, as Guinea-Bissau secured a 2-0 away victory against Tanzania on Friday as well.

​That sets the stage for an enthralling encounter on Tuesday. Although Nigeria are three-time African champions and boast some of the finest talents on the continent, the Djurtus possess players capable of causing problems for Chelle’s side.

​Since their game against Madagascar, the Super Eagles have been based in Uyo. They held a recovery session on Saturday, followed by another workout on Sunday morning.

​Then, at 3 PM Nigerian time, they boarded a flight to Guinea-Bissau. Typically, a flight from Nigeria to Bissau takes around four hours. By approximately 8:40 PM Nigerian time, the Super Eagles media team shared images of the squad and backroom staff arriving at the Aeroporto Internacional Osvaldo Vieira in Bissau, the capital of Guinea-Bissau.

🚨🇳🇬🦅 Super Eagles land in Bissau.

Nigeria have arrived in Guinea-Bissau ahead of their AFCON 2027 qualifier against the Djurtus.

The Eagles are ready for the next challenge. pic.twitter.com/WwApEpY8DA

— SportBlits (@sportblitsX) September 27, 2026

​The team is expected to hold their solitary training session in the country tomorrow. That session will take place at the Estadio 24 de Setembro to help the players acclimatize to the pitch ahead of matchday on Tuesday.

​Can The Super Eagles Avoid A 2023 Repeat?

​Nigeria and Guinea-Bissau had never met until the 2022 Africa Cup of Nations, but they have crossed paths on three further occasions since then.

​Across those three subsequent meetings, the Djurtus managed one victory — a shock 1-0 win in Abuja in 2023. Notably, that encounter was also an AFCON qualifier. Although the Super Eagles eventually exacted revenge in the reverse fixture, that defeat drew serious ire from Nigerian fans.

​Now, the Djurtus find themselves in a much stronger position, boasting greater squad depth and quality than they did back then. With attacking threats such as Franculino Djú, Beto, and Mama Baldé in their ranks, Nigeria must tread carefully.

​Coach Eric Chelle has earned widespread praise for the attractive brand of football he has introduced, having guided the team to 18 wins and three draws across his 23 matches in charge. Nonetheless, Tuesday's fixture presents a stern examination, and leaving Bissau with all three points would represent a major statement.