Izamoje Blasts Super Eagles Over Pitch Excuse After Guinea-Bissau Defeat

Posted : 01 October 2026

Brila Media Executive Chairman Larry Izamoje has criticised the Super Eagles for focusing on the difficult playing surface after their 3-0 defeat to Guinea-Bissau in the 2027 Africa Cup of Nations qualifiers. Nigeria suffered the heavy loss in Bissau on September 29, leaving Guinea-Bissau in control of Group L.

Izamoje said the Nigerian team and its coaching staff should accept responsibility for the performance rather than make the pitch the main explanation for the result. He also pointed out that Guinea-Bissau had several players based in European leagues.

The hosts took the lead after 15 minutes through Trabzonspor forward Franculino. Mama Baldé and Alvaro Djalo added further goals as Guinea-Bissau completed a 3-0 victory over Eric Chelle’s side.

The result gave Guinea-Bissau six points from two matches and kept them at the top of Group L. Nigeria have three points after their opening 2-1 victory over Madagascar, while Madagascar and Tanzania have one point each after two games.

The qualification structure makes the group particularly significant. Tanzania are co-hosts of the 2027 AFCON and already have a guaranteed place at the tournament, meaning only the highest-placed team among the other three nations in Group L will qualify through the group.

Izamoje also noted that Guinea-Bissau’s squad included players competing in European football. His comments came after the Super Eagles struggled to impose themselves against the hosts and conceded three goals without finding a response.

Chelle had already raised concerns about the pitch before the match. After the defeat, however, the Nigeria coach acknowledged that Guinea-Bissau were the better team and said his players stopped pushing about 10 minutes into the second half.

Chelle said the pitch and hot weather affected his players because Guinea-Bissau were accustomed to the conditions. He nevertheless described those factors as circumstances around the match rather than presenting them as the sole reason for the defeat.

The Super Eagles now face the task of recovering from the setback when the qualifying campaign resumes. Their next Group L fixture is against Tanzania, with the remaining matches against Madagascar and Guinea-Bissau also carrying significant importance in the race for the group’s available qualification place.

The defeat has also prompted wider discussion in Nigeria about the AFCON qualifying format. Cable Football Academy proprietor Edwin Onovwotafe suggested that host nations should either be excluded from qualifying groups or that groups containing hosts should have an additional team and more qualification places.

For Chelle and his players, attention now turns to addressing the performance that left Nigeria three points behind the group leaders. The Super Eagles will need to collect points in their remaining fixtures as they continue their campaign for a place at the 2027 AFCON finals.

Izamoje Blasts Super Eagles Over Pitch Excuse After Guinea-Bissau Defeat

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