Guinea-Bissau coach Emiliano Te warns qualification race is far from over after Nigeria win

Guinea-Bissau head coach Emiliano Te has urged caution after the Djurtus strengthened their position in Group L with a convincing 3-0 victory over Nigeria in qualifying for the 2027 Africa Cup of Nations.

The result was Guinea-Bissau’s second consecutive win in the group, but Te rejected suggestions that his side had already done enough to secure a place at the tournament.

Franculino Dju put the hosts ahead at the Estadio Nacional 24 de Setembro in Bissau on Tuesday, before Mama Balde extended their advantage. Alvaro Djalo completed the victory with a stoppage-time goal.

Guinea-Bissau had opened their campaign with a 2-0 win over Tanzania, leaving them in a strong position after two matches.

Nigeria began their qualifying campaign by beating Madagascar 2-1, but the defeat by Te’s team was their first loss in the series.

Te said the latest victory showed that Guinea-Bissau were progressing, but insisted the campaign should be viewed as a long-term process rather than a completed task.

“It’s a journey to reach the African Cup of Nations. The victory against Nigeria demonstrates that the national team is doing well and will continue to evolve in the upcoming matches,” he said during his post-match news conference, as quoted by O Democrata GB.

The coach also emphasised the need for his players to remain tactically disciplined and continue improving as the qualification matches progress.

“Every game has its own story. You need to play tactical football, create better scoring opportunities, and always believe that you can do more and better, regardless of the opponent,” he added.

Guinea-Bissau’s victory carries added importance because Tanzania, one of the co-hosts of the 2027 tournament, are already guaranteed a place in the competition.

As a result, Nigeria, Guinea-Bissau and Madagascar are competing for the remaining qualifying place available in Group L.

Te’s side will therefore enter the next stage of the campaign with momentum from wins over Tanzania and Nigeria, but the coach believes further performances and results will be required before qualification can be confirmed.