By Milcah Tanimu

The Super Eagles of Nigeria are set to face Guinea-Bissau in a critical Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) Group A match on Monday, with the Eagles aiming for at least a draw to secure advancement. Nigeria currently holds the second position in Group A after drawing 1-1 against Equatorial Guinea and winning 1-0 against Ivory Coast in their first two games.

Despite Guinea-Bissau facing losses in their initial two matches, they are determined to cause an upset against the Eagles in the encounter at the Felix Houphouet-Boigny Stadium.

Guinea-Bissau’s coach, Baciro Condé, expressed their focus on the match, stating, “Indeed, we are going to base ourselves on this match. We have analyzed the game of the Super Eagles well, and we hope to make a success of our exit in the absence of having had a good tournament.”

Eagles’ striker, Victor Osimhen, acknowledged the threat posed by Guinea-Bissau, emphasizing the importance of studying their previous encounters and devising a strategy to overcome the West African opponents.

Nigeria, having suffered a shock 1-0 defeat to Guinea-Bissau in the 2023 AFCON qualifying group stage last year, is determined to avoid a repeat. Super Eagles coach, José Peseiro, emphasized focusing on the present and the future, expressing confidence in the team’s ability to secure victory.

Defender Kenneth Omeruo outlined the team’s clear objective: winning the AFCON trophy in Ivory Coast. Omeruo acknowledged the hunger for victory within the team and emphasized the need to put everything in place to achieve their ambitions.

Simultaneously, Ivory Coast faces Equatorial Guinea in a must-win encounter at the Alassane Ouattara Stadium in Ebimpe. After a heartbreaking 1-0 loss to Nigeria, the Ivorians need a victory to automatically advance to the competition’s knockout stages.

Both Group A matches are scheduled to be played simultaneously at 6 pm Nigerian time, promising suspense and excitement for AFCON fans.