The Super Eagles, wings ruffled after a shaky start to their 2023 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) campaign, take flight on Monay against Guinea Bissau in their final group game, with qualification to the Round of 16 tantalisingly close. A mere eight days ago, their title aspirations seemed grounded after a draw with Equatorial Guinea, leaving fans dismayed. But then, a battling performance against hosts Ivory Coast resulted in a 1-0 triumph that reignited the fire in their bellies and sent the nation into a frenzy of jubilation.
Now, with the wind of hope at their backs, they face the Djurtus of Guinea Bissau, a team yet to taste victory in four AFCON tournaments, with defeats to hosts Ivory Coast and Equatorial Guinea taking their record to eight losses in 11 matches (D3).
While the Super Eagles are rightly favourites for this tie, the Djurtus, playing for pride, have nothing to lose. They shocked the Super Eagles during the qualifiers and will go for a repeat performance on Monday
A draw would suffice for Nigeria to reach the knock-out stages for the third time in a row. However, the Eagles know a win will seal top spot in Group A, as long as Equatorial Guinea, also on four points, fail to beat Ivory Coast in the other match, holding simultaneously at the Stade Olympique Alassane Ouattara.
The Century Mark: Chasing Milestones in Abidjan
Monday’s encounter at the 35,000-capacity Stade Félix Houphouët-Boigny in Abidjan is far more than just a fight for qualification. It marks a colossal landmark in Nigerian football history – the 100th Africa Cup of Nations match for the Super Eagles since their debut in 1963, marked by a 6-3 loss to Egypt in Kumasi, nineteen AFCONs ago.
Now in their 20th appearance at the AFCON finals, Nigeria joins the elite ranks of Egypt (109), Ghana (104), and Ivory Coast (101) as only the fourth team to reach this extraordinary milestone.
Nigeria’s clash against Guinea Bissau could also see another historic milestone, with the Super Eagles’ next goal set to be their 140th in AFCON history. William Troost-Ekong’s penalty against the Elephants marked the 139th strike in Nigeria’s illustrious AFCON record. The next goal, if achieved, would be a significant milestone, further solidifying the Super Eagles’ place as one of Africa’s most prolific goalscoring teams.
Chasing the 140th Goal: Osimhen’s Moment
The journey to 140 is paved with the footprints of legendary Nigerian strikers. Victor Ikpeba’s thunderous strike against Tunisia on January 23, 2000, was the 70th goal for Nigeria in the AFCON (2000 finals co-hosted with Ghana).
Sixty-nine goals later, another Victor, Victor Osimhen, can emulate his namesake and etch his name in the Eagles’ history by netting against the Djurtus. The Napoli striker is the reigning African Player of the Year, another feature he shares in common with Ikpeba, who reigned supreme in 1997. Osimhen will look to add to his solitary AFCON goal scored against Equatorial Guinea and write his own chapter in Nigerian football folklore after missing the 2021 tournament with injury and playing a minor role in the 2019 finals.
Odion Ighalo contributed the 130th goal in a 1-0 win against Tunisia during the 2019 third-place match, where he was the top scorer with five goals. Among the current squad, captain Ahmed Musa added the 120th goal in the 4-1 semi-final triumph against Mali in Nigeria’s last AFCON winning campaign in 2013.
Hall of Fame Marksmen
Including Ighalo, six Nigerians have carted home the Africa Cup of Nations Golden Boot. The late, great Rashidi Yekini, the “Goalsfather”, reigns supreme with 13 goals across four tournaments, a testament to his unyielding hunger for the net. Yekini’s goalscoring spree included four in 1992 and five in 1994, both earning him top scorer honours.
Jay-Jay Okocha, the midfield maestro, weaved his magic into the record with seven goals, including his four-goal masterclass in Tunisia 2004 that secured him the top scorer title. He also scored Nigeria’s milestone 1,000th goal in 2004.
Segun Odegbami (six goals), Julius Aghahowa (six goals, top scorer in 2002), and Emmanuel Emenike (four goals, top scorer in 2013) complete the pantheon of Nigerian AFCON Golden Boot winners.
Odegbami was top scorer in 1980 when Nigeria lifted the trophy for the first time as hosts, while Aghahowa scored three goals in both 2000 and 2002. Emenike’s thunderous free-kick against Ivory Coast in the 2013 quarter-final remains etched in the minds of fans as a moment of pure brilliance.
As the Super Eagles take to the field against Guinea Bissau, the collective hope of Nigerians is that Victor Osimhen will not only claim a slice of history with the 140th AFCON goal for his nation but also spearhead Nigeria to a fourth continental title and etch his name amongst the pantheon of Nigerian marksmen as tournament top scorer.
Head-To-Head: Guinea Bissau vs Nigeria
The two teams have crossed paths three times but only once in AFCON history.
The only time these two sides met on the continental stage was two years ago, with Nigeria emerging victorious 2-0 in the group stages of AFCON 2021 on January 19, 2022. Umar Sadiq and William Troost-Ekong found the net at the Stade Roumdé Adjia in Garoua, Cameroon.
Their subsequent encounter was during the qualifiers for this very edition of AFCON, with Guinea Bissau delivering a shock 1-0 defeat to Nigeria in Abuja on March 24, 2023. Mama Balde’s lone strike silenced the home crowd and cast doubt on Nigeria’s seemingly assured path to the tournament.
However, Nigeria exacted swift revenge in the return leg just three days later. Moses Simon’s cool penalty at the Estádio 24 de Setembro in Bissau sealed a 1-0 victory.
Monday’s match marks the fourth encounter between these two nations in three years. With a score of two wins for Nigeria and one upset victory for Guinea Bissau.
Team News & Match Info
Super Eagles defenders Zaidu Sanusi and William Troost-Ekong are both injury doubts as the duo trained separately from the rest of the squad during Sunday’s training session. Zaidu has an outside chance of making the team.
However, Troost-Ekong and midfielder Alhassan Yusuf, who also trained separately from the rest of the squad on Sunday, will miss Monday’s clash after failing to recover from the knock he picked up against Equatorial Guinea.
Guinea Bissau, meanwhile, have a fully fit squad, and boss Baciro Candé will field a full-strength side as they aim to exit the tournament on a high.
The game between Guinea-Bissau and Nigeria is scheduled for 6 PM (Nigerian time) on Monday, January 22, 2024.
The match venue is the Felix Houphouet-Boigny Stadium in Abidjan, Ivory Coast.
Guinea Bissau vs Nigeria: Voices From The Pitch
José Peseiro: “We defeated Cote d’Ivoire, but that is already in the past. We know that in football, what counts is the moment. Therefore, we must temper our confidence and put in more work as required and not rest. We want to take the first place, and for that, we must do battle. We must do what is necessary to accomplish our mission.”
Guinea Bissau forward Carlos Mane: “We want to play for pride, for our country and family. We want to finish the tournament with points, and we want to win [on Monday].”
Betting Offers: Guinea Bissau vs Nigeria
There is an array of exciting betting offers and enhanced odds from leading Nigerian sportsbooks for the Guinea Bissau vs Nigeria fixture.
Betking offers boosted odds of 1.25 for a Nigeria win, a significant increase compared to the standard odds. Newcomers to the platform can also score an instant ₦500 free bet simply for signing up, a perfect way to kickstart your betting journey.
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Over at Betano, their “2 Goals Ahead Early Payout” feature is active for this game. If you back the Eagles, and they build a two-goal lead at any point, your bet is settled as won, regardless of the final score. Betano also offers enhanced 2.65 odds for Nigeria to win both halves and over 2.5 goals in the match.
Additionally, Betano offers bet builders like Nigeria winning the first half, registering over 6.5 corners, and Osimhen being the first goal scorer at a mouthwatering 7.40 odds. Another bet builder is for Over 2.5 goals, Over 2.5 cards, and Ademola Lookman to score anytime at 6.90 odds.
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On BetBonanza, the “Bank on the Eagles” offer rewards the unwavering loyalty of Super Eagles fans who bet on Nigeria to win. They get a free bet every time the Eagles win, regardless of what happens to the rest of their ticket!
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Conclusion
Nigeria’s AFCON journey has been a rollercoaster. Disappointment from a sluggish start gave way to jubilation after a hard-fought win over Ivory Coast, leaving their fate hanging in the balance as they face Guinea Bissau. Beyond points, this match marks a historic 100th AFCON appearance for Nigeria, placing them among continental giants. The pressure’s on but fueled by hope and history, the Super Eagles are poised to take flight and solidify their place in the Round of 16.