The Super Eagles 3-0 defeat to Guinea-Bissau in the 2027 Africa Cup of Nations qualifiers was caused largely by poor defending, according to former Nigeria international Victor Ikpeba.
Ikpeba defended goalkeeper Stanley Nwabali against criticism following Nigeria’s disappointing result, arguing that the goalkeeper should not be held responsible for the goals conceded.
Instead, the former Super Eagles striker identified defensive marking and the team’s failure to react quickly after losing possession as major factors behind the heavy loss.
Guinea-Bissau took control of the encounter after Franculino opened the scoring in the 15th minute, exposing weaknesses in the Nigerian defence.
Mama Baldé then doubled the Djurtus’ advantage in the 66th minute after using his pace and strength to get beyond Bright Osayi-Samuel before producing a well-placed finish.
Álvaro Djaló completed the scoring in the fifth minute of stoppage time as Guinea-Bissau secured a comprehensive victory over Nigeria.
Ikpeba defends Stanley Nwabali
Ikpeba specifically rejected criticism of Nwabali following Baldé’s second goal, insisting that the Guinea-Bissau captain’s finish was technically excellent and beyond the goalkeeper’s reach.
Speaking to SuperSport, the former Nigeria international explained that Nwabali had limited options once the shot was taken.
“They possessed the momentum. What an excellent placement. Technically superior goal; it appears straightforward on television. Observe it. There was nothing Nwabali could have done. It struck the post and went in. Thus, he understood where he intended to direct it.”
Ikpeba said the major concern was Nigeria’s defensive performance, stressing that the Super Eagles failed to protect their goalkeeper adequately.
“Defensively, we didn’t defend well. If you don’t defend well in this type of game and you qualify for the AFCON, defensively, we were poor.”
The comments put the spotlight on the Super Eagles defence, which struggled to deal with Guinea-Bissau’s movement and allowed the hosts to exploit spaces at important moments.
Poor marking punished Nigeria
Ikpeba further explained that Guinea-Bissau identified Nigeria’s defensive weaknesses and took advantage whenever the Super Eagles surrendered possession.
According to the former striker, Nigerian players failed to immediately track the opposition attackers, giving Guinea-Bissau enough space to launch dangerous attacks.
He particularly pointed to the sequence that produced the third goal, saying Nigeria failed to mark both the striker and another attacking player.
“They recognised that we were inadequate defensively. When we lose the ball, they are not marking the striker or the number 20. Remarkably straightforward.”
Ikpeba also said similar problems contributed to the opening goal, with Nigeria failing to adequately mark the Guinea-Bissau striker.
“For the first goal, they did not mark the striker. We lack marking players, so we were penalised. You cannot hold Nwabali responsible for the third goal,” he said.
His assessment suggests that the problems went beyond individual errors, with Nigeria’s defensive organisation and reaction immediately after losing possession proving costly.
Nigeria remain second in Group L
The defeat leaves Nigeria with three points from their 2027 AFCON qualifying campaign, with the Super Eagles currently second in Group L.
The result increases the importance of Nigeria’s next qualifying fixtures as the team looks to strengthen its position and secure a place at the 2027 Africa Cup of Nations.
The Super Eagles are scheduled to face Tanzania in a home-and-away, two-legged fixture in November.
Nigeria will therefore have an opportunity to respond to the Guinea-Bissau setback when the qualifiers resume.
However, the defensive weaknesses exposed during the match will remain an important area for the team to address.
Ikpeba’s assessment has placed particular emphasis on marking, defensive organisation and the speed with which the Super Eagles respond after losing possession.
For a team seeking to qualify for the AFCON, those details can determine whether promising attacking play is supported by sufficient defensive stability.
The former striker’s defence of Nwabali also shifts attention away from the goalkeeper and towards the players in front of him, particularly those responsible for tracking attackers and preventing clear opportunities.
With Tanzania next on the schedule, the Super Eagles will be expected to improve their defensive performance and respond positively to the setback in Guinea-Bissau.
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