Despite losses to Ivory Coast and Equatorial Guinea, the Djurtus can still advance as one of the best third-placed teams by defeating unbeaten Nigeria in their final Group A match. Unfortunately, Guinea-Bissau's AFCON 2023 prospects seem grim after a 4-2 defeat to in-form Equatorial Guinea, placing them on the verge of elimination. Currently at the bottom of Group A, a -4 goal difference adds complexity even if they manage to beat the Super Eagles on Monday.
This year marks Guinea-Bissau's fourth AFCON appearance, but they've never progressed to a fourth game at the Cup of Nations. A win against Jose Peseiro's men is crucial for them to have any chance of turning their fortunes around.
Notably, Guinea-Bissau stunned everyone by defeating the three-time African champions in qualifying with a surprising 1-0 victory at the giants' home in March 2023.
Baciro Cande, the Djurtus' coach, expressed concern over his team's wasteful finishing in the loss to Equatorial Guinea and hopes to avoid a repeat against Nigeria for any chance of making it to the round of 16.
As for the Super Eagles, three-time winners, they cannot afford to be complacent in their quest for qualification. Beating Ivory Coast 1-0 has put Peseiro's team in a favorable position, and securing four points should be sufficient for passage to the knockout round.
Peseiro surprised many with a tactical switch from 4-2-3-1 to 5-4-1 in the previous match, and it remains uncertain if he will retain the same approach against Guinea-Bissau.
While a victory could secure top spot for the Super Eagles, they need to address their scoring inefficiencies, having missed numerous chances in the draw with Equatorial Guinea, despite success against Ivory Coast. Nonetheless, their strong defensive performance positions them well as they aim to defeat a team they previously beat 2-0 at AFCON 2021.
INJURIES & SUSPENSION
Mama Balde, the goal scorer in Guinea-Bissau's 2023 victory over the Super Eagles, is expected to lead the attack in Monday's crucial showdown. Ze Turbo, who scored against Equatorial Guinea, and Dalcio, the assist provider, are vying for starting positions against Nigeria.Despite the results in the first two games, coach Cande is likely to stick with the 4-3-3 formation used against the hosts and Equatorial Guinea. Victor Osimhen, who won the decisive penalty but struggled with finishing against Ivory Coast, could have posed a risk for Peseiro's team. The Napoli center-forward missed a clear chance after a pass from Samuel Chukwueze and headed over from Ola Aina's throw-in.
To counter specific threats from the Elephants in the previous match, Peseiro switched to a back five. However, he might revert to a back four against Djurtus. Zaidu Sanusi, the Porto left-back, may miss Monday's game due to injury. Kelechi Iheanacho, who hasn't played at AFCON 2023, and Alhassan Yusuf, injured in the opening game, could feature on Monday if deemed fit to participate.
POSSIBLE LINE-UPS
Guinea-Bissau possible starting lineup:Djoco; Encada, Djalo, Mane, Cande; Semedo, Bikel, Cassama; Rodrigues, Dju, Balde
Nigeria possible starting lineup:
Nwabali; Osayi-Samuel, Ajayi, Troost-Ekong, Onyemaechi; Simon, Onyeka, Iwobi, Lookman; Moffi, Osimhen
EXPERT PREDICTION
Guinea-Bissau 0-1 Nigeria
