Chelle earlier led the Super Eagles to a 2-1 comeback win over Madagascar at the Godswill Akpabio International Stadium, Uyo.
By Kehinde Okeowo
Super Eagles head coach Éric Chelle has publicly apologised to Nigerian supporters after Nigeria suffered a heavy 3-0 defeat to Guinea-Bissau on matchday two of the 2027 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) qualifiers.
The Malian tactician appealed to the fans of the West African football heavyweights while speaking at his post-match press conference.
Guinea-Bissau on Tuesday solidified their grip on Group L of the 2027 AFCON qualifiers with the thrashing of Nigeria at the 24 de Setembro National Stadium in Bissau.
The hosts opened the scoring in the 15th minute through Franculino Djú, who fired a left-footed shot past Nigeria goalkeeper Stanley Nwabali after profiting from a pass from Renato Nhaga.
The Super Eagles came close to an equaliser before half-time, with Alex Iwobi setting up Ademola Lookman, but he was denied by Guinea-Bissau goalkeeper Manuel Embadjé.
The hosts continued to threaten after the break and doubled their advantage through Mama Baldé in the 65th minute.
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Guinea-Bissau then took an unassailable lead in stoppage time when Álvaro Djaló scored the third goal, receiving a through ball from Tamble Monteiro and finishing with his right foot.
The defeat has drawn sharp criticism from the Nigerian football community, with many questioning the team’s performance across the 90 minutes.
Reacting after the heavy loss, Chelle accepted blame for the outcome of the match and admitted that the hosts were the better side on the day.
He, however, raised concerns about the playing surface, tracing his side’s thumping to the state of the pitch.
“I apologise to the fans. Guinea-Bissau were the better side. The pitch is also bad, but we accept responsibility,” Chelle said.
Following the defeat, Nigeria will not have an immediate opportunity to respond in competitive football as the next international window is in November, when the Super Eagles face a double-header against Tanzania in the qualifiers.
However, before then, the Nigerian team will attempt to redeem their image in a friendly match against Russia scheduled for 6 October.
