I Take Responsibility — Chelle Speaks Out After Super Eagles’ Shock Defeat To Guinea-Bissau

Super Eagles head coach Éric Chelle has apologised to Nigerian supporters and accepted responsibility after the team suffered a 3-0 defeat to Guinea-Bissau in their 2027 Africa Cup of Nations qualifying campaign.

Nigeria struggled to make an impact during Tuesday’s Group L encounter at the Estádio 24 de Setembro, with Franculino Djú, Mama Baldé and Álvaro Djaló scoring for the hosts.

According to Bush Radio Academy, the defeat leaves Nigeria with three points from their opening two matches, while Guinea-Bissau moved to the top of the group with six points after recording victories in both games.

Chelle admitted after the match that Guinea-Bissau were the better side and acknowledged the difficult playing conditions at the stadium. However, he insisted that Nigeria must take responsibility for the disappointing performance.

“I apologise to the fans. Guinea-Bissau were the better side. The pitch is also bad, but we accept responsibilities,” Chelle said.

Guinea-Bissau took the lead in the 15th minute when Djú created space before curling the ball into the far corner, giving the hosts an early advantage.

The Super Eagles struggled to respond effectively as the hosts maintained pressure and eventually extended their lead through Baldé before Djaló completed the 3-0 victory.

The result represents a setback for Nigeria’s qualification campaign, particularly with Guinea-Bissau now holding a three-point advantage over the Super Eagles after two rounds of matches.

Despite the defeat, Nigeria still have four qualifying fixtures remaining and will have opportunities to improve their position in the group. The Super Eagles are expected to turn their attention to the upcoming matches as they seek to recover from the heavy loss and strengthen their hopes of reaching the 2027 AFCON tournament.

Chelle’s admission comes as the coach faces the task of regrouping the team and correcting the shortcomings exposed during the defeat ahead of Nigeria’s remaining qualifying fixtures.