Chelle says poor pitch and heat contributed to Nigeria’s 3-0 defeat by Guinea-Bissau

Nigeria coach Chelle admitted Guinea-Bissau deserved their 3-0 victory in Bissau, pointing to the poor playing surface and hot weather as factors in the Super Eagles’ difficult start to their Group L campaign.

“Guinea-Bissau were better than us,” said the Franco-Malian coach after the match.

Chelle said the hosts’ familiarity with the pitch gave them an advantage, while Nigeria struggled on a surface he described as being in very poor condition.

“They always play on this pitch. They know it better than us. For us, it was the first time. It was very, very bad,” he said.

The coach also identified the conditions in Bissau as another challenge for his side.

“The weather was very hot too,” Chelle added.

However, he accepted that the defeat could not be explained solely by the pitch or the heat. Guinea-Bissau, he said, showed greater drive and urgency throughout the game, while Nigeria failed to find a way to respond.

“They were more motivated, more aggressive. They put more intensity and we never found the solution,” the Super Eagles coach said.

The result leaves Nigeria facing a difficult beginning to their Group L campaign and with significant improvement required in their remaining fixtures if they are to revive their hopes of reaching the 2027 AFCON finals.

Chelle nevertheless said he remained confident in his players and looked forward to the return fixture in Nigeria, where he expects Guinea-Bissau to face similar conditions.

“When Guinea-Bissau come to Nigeria, we have to put them in the same situation and the same conditions too,” he said.

“I’m still confident about my team and my players. But today was bad for us.”