Eric Chelle warns limited preparation could hinder Nigeria against Guinea-Bissau

Nigeria coach Eric Chelle says the Super Eagles have had insufficient time to prepare tactically for their 2027 Africa Cup of Nations qualifying match against Guinea-Bissau.

The two sides meet at the Estadio Nacional 24 de Setembro in Bissau on Tuesday evening, having both won their opening fixtures in the qualifying campaign.

Nigeria began preparations in Uyo after beating Madagascar, holding a recovery session on Saturday before returning to full training the following day. The squad then travelled to Bissau, where the players used their final session to familiarise themselves with the match venue.

Chelle said the limited number of training sessions available during the current Fifa international window had restricted the work his team could do before the game.

“We didn’t have enough training sessions to work a lot. This is the problem with this kind of Fifa window. You have only one or two training sessions to prepare (for a match),” he said at his pre-match news conference.

“After that, you have one or two training sessions to recover, and you have to travel.”

The coach said Nigeria had reviewed their victory over Madagascar, but acknowledged the performance had not been convincing despite the result.

“The most important thing is that we watched the last game and analysed it. If you look at the statistics, you can say we deserved this victory (against Madagascar),” Chelle said.

“But the game was not very good. We conceded the first goal, and the game was not easy for us, so this is why I spoke like this.”

Chelle must also assess the fitness of forward George Ilenikhena before the meeting with Guinea-Bissau. At least two other players are expected to undergo fitness tests before the Super Eagles finalise their team for the match.

Nigeria will be aiming to build on their opening victory, while Guinea-Bissau will seek to do the same in front of their home supporters at the Estadio Nacional 24 de Setembro.