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The Guinea Bissau senior national team on Friday won Super Eagles 1-0, following a 29th-minute goal by Mama Samba Balde in their Match Day 3 clash in the 2023 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) qualifier in Abuja.
Victor Osimhen started upfront alongside Leicester City forward Kelechi Iheanacho, flanked on either side by Samuel Chukwueze and Ademola Lookman.
For the 2022–2023 season, all four have been responsible for over fifty club goals in Europe, and they all participated as Nigeria tried to capitalize on their early domination.
Yet shortly before the half-hour mark, Guinea-Bissau made a critical breakthrough through Mama Balde, throwing a wrench in the home team’s plans and shocking the stadium’s spectators into stillness.
Moses Simon of Nantes and Paul Onuachu of Southampton were brought on by Jose Peseiro at halftime as the Super Eagles attempted to get back into the game.
Admittedly, Nigeria created better chances after the break. But strangely, the ball just would not find its way into the net.
Simon miscued from the penalty spot after Chukwueze set him up. Moments later, Ndidi found himself in the box, only for the midfielder to pick a pass past the keeper when a low shot could have done the trick.
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Osimhen fought to free himself shortly after, and the striker stung the goalkeeper’s palms from a tight angle.
The finishing kept getting more terrible and it was Chukwueze’s turn to blast wide after doing well to get past two markers. That Villarreal winger’s effort came in between a couple of wayward Onuachu headers.
The chances did not halt. But none of Osimhen or Onuachu could redirect the ball into the net after Osayi-Samuel’s cross caught the goalie in no man’s land. Moments later, another fierce Chukuweze drive just whistled past the goalpost.
Ten minutes to full-time, Simon got to the baseline and sent a decent cross to Onuachu but the Southampton man managed to get his final effort off target when it seemed easier to score.
And despite having a few more half-chances, Guinea-Bissau held on bravely to secure one of the biggest wins in the nation’s history.
With the victory, the Wild Dogs move on to seven points to overtake Nigeria at the top of Group A.
The two teams will face off again on Monday in the return leg in Bissau.
