In a surprising turn of events, the Djurtus of Guinea-Bissau managed to secure a historic 1-0 victory over the Nigerian Super Eagles during the Africa Cup of Nations qualifying match at MKO Abiola Stadium. Despite the Nigerian team featuring Napoli’s Victor Osimhen, they were unable to capitalize on their talent and lost to the underdogs.
Before the match, Nigeria was leading Group A and confidently showcased their offensive prowess through their head coach, Jose Peseiro’s starting lineup. The team included Leicester City’s Kelechi Iheanacho and Victor Osimhen up front, with Samuel Chukwueze and Ademola Lookman on the flanks. Collectively, these players scored over fifty goals for their European clubs during the 2022/2023 season.
However, Guinea-Bissau shattered Nigeria’s expectations with a crucial goal by Mama Balde just before the half-hour mark, leaving the home crowd speechless. Peseiro reacted quickly, bringing in Nantes’ Moses Simon and Southampton’s Paul Onuachu to invigorate the team after halftime.
Although Nigeria managed to create more opportunities in the second half, they failed to score. Simon missed a penalty, while Ndidi passed the ball when a low shot might have been more effective. Osimhen, Chukwueze, and Onuachu also had their chances but couldn’t find the back of the net.
Guinea-Bissau’s defense held strong, and despite a few close calls, they persevered to clinch a historic win for their nation. This victory propelled the Wild Dogs to the top of Group A with seven points, overtaking Nigeria. The two teams are set to face each other again in the return leg in Bissau on Monday.
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