Former Nigeria defender Ben Iroha has urged the Super Eagles to quickly put their hard-fought 2-1 victory over Madagascar behind them and focus fully on Tuesday’s 2027 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) qualifying clash against Guinea-Bissau in Bissau, Completesports.com reports.
Iroha spoke to Completesports.com exclusively from his base in Texas, USA, on Saturday, a day after the Super Eagles opened their Group L campaign with victory over Madagascar in Uyo.
The 1994 AFCON winner warned the Eagles to be prepared for the physical approach of the Guinea-Bissau side, insisting that Tuesday’s encounter at the nnnEstádio Nacional 24 de Setembro, Bissau would be tougher than their opening fixture against Madagascar.
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“Victory is victory. No matter how it comes. It doesn’t come easy. So, I must say congratulations to the Super Eagles for starting the 2027 AFCON qualifiers on a high,” Iroha began.
Super Eagles Must Focus On Guinea-Bissau
“But it’s not yet uhuru. The next round of the qualifiers, an away game to Guinea-Bissau, to me, is going to be much tougher.
“So, they should focus on that game and prepare very well, especially for the ‘physical’ play of the hosts, which helped them win 2-0 away to Tanzania on Sunday.
“They [Guinea-Bissau] will come out in high spirits following their emphatic 2-0 win against Tanzania. And again, they will be playing in front of their home fans. So, they will be out to make things difficult for the Super Eagles,” Iroha explained.
Super Eagles Can Exploit Guinea-Bissau ‘Weakness’
The former Golden Eaglets assistant coach, who was part of Nigeria’s 1994 AFCON-winning squad, also identified what he believes could be a possible weakness in the Guinea-Bissau side for the Eagles to exploit.
“I think they will have to contend with the pressure of playing against a talent-loaded side like the Super Eagles. They will also have the task of beating the Super Eagles or getting a draw so as to remain top of the group standings.
Also Read: 2027 AFCONQ: Super Eagles’ Madagascar Win Boosts Confidence For Guinea-Bissau Clash — Ikhana
“I think this is a technical point the Super Eagles will have to try to exploit on Tuesday.”
Nigeria Face Tanzania After Guinea-Bissau
After Tuesday’s encounter against Guinea-Bissau, Nigeria’s next 2027 AFCON qualifying game will be against Tanzania, one of the three countries that will jointly host the tournament.
It will be the first time in the history of the competition that three countries will simultaneously stage the AFCON.
The match will be played at the Godswill Akpabio International Stadium, otherwise known as the Nest of Champions, although the date has yet to be fixed.
Before the Taifa Stars of Tanzania AFCON clash, however, Nigeria will take on Russia in an international friendly on 6 October 2026 at the 44,000-capacity Nizhny Novgorod Stadium in Russia.
