The senior national team of Nigeria suffered a shocking 0-1 defeat to Guinea Bissau at the Moshood Abiola stadium in the race to be at the 2023 Africa Cup of Nations.

With Nigeria looking more likely to score with Victor Osimhen, Ademola Lookman, Samuel Chukwueze and Kelechi Iheanacho making darting runs, it was the visitors who surprisingly took the lead in the 29 minutes. Totally against the run of play.

A route one ball behind the defence of Nigeria caught the centre backs flat leaving Samba Balde to run at the ball unchallenged. His first touch set him through with Francis Uzoho at his mercy and he colly slot home to give his side the lead.

Nigeria immediately mounted a fight back but tried as they could, they failed to trouble Jonas Mendez in the goal of Guinea Bissau and ended the half losing 0-1 leaving the stadium in a tense situation. They were booed off the pitch.

Guinea Bissau showed remarkable organization in defence to see out the win and in the process go top of the group and also inflicted a fifth straight defeat on the Super Eagles of Nigeria. The first time in history it is happening.

The lineup of the senior national team of Nigeria for today’s Africa Cup of Nations qualifiers has been made public by head coach Jose Peseiro, OGN can exclusively reveal.

Per leaks from the television crew for the game that will start by 5pm Nigerian time. Peseiro stuck with his favorite 4-4-2 formation with Francis Uzoho in goal.

Bright Osayi-Samuel who was the standout player in the friendly game against Portugal starts as the right back win Zaidu Sanusi holding off Bruno Onyemaechi push to retain his spot at left back. The duo of Calvin Bassey and Kevin Akpoguma will play as the centre back pairing. Wilfred Ndidi wears the captain armband and will play alongside Alex Iwobi in the middle.

On the flanks, he went for the duo of Ademola Lookman and Samuel Chukwueze as the right and left sided forwards respectively. Victor Osimhen leads the line with Kelechi Iheanacho.

Starting XI: Uzoho, Osayi-Samuel, Sanusi, Akpoguma, Bassey, Iwobi, Ndidi, Chukwueze, Iheanacho, Lookman, Osimhen.

The lineup of the senior national team of Nigeria for today’s Africa Cup of Nations qualifiers has been made public by head coach Jose Peseiro, OGN can exclusively reveal.

Per leaks from the television crew for the game that will start by 5pmNigerian time. Peseiro stuck with his favorite 4-4-2 formation with Francis Uzoho in goal.

Bright Osayi-Samuel who was the standout player in the friendly game against Portugal starts as the right back win Zaidu Sanusi holding off Bruno Onyemaechi push to retain his spot at left back. The duo of Calvin Bassey and Kevin Akpoguma will play as the centre back pairing.

On the flanks, he went for the duo of Ademola Lookman and Samuel Chukwueze as the right and left sided forwards respectively. Victor Osimhen leads the line with Kelechi Iheanacho.

Starting XI: Uzoho, Osayi-Samuel, Sanusi, Akpoguma, Bassey, Iwobi, Ndidi, Chukwueze, Iheanacho, Lookman, Osimhen.

The senior national team of Nigeria will later today at the Moshood Abiola stadium take on Guinea Bissau in the race to be at the 2023 Africa Cup of Nations by 5pm Nigerian time.

Head coach of the team Jose Peseiro has already given a hint on how his team will possibly line up in the game, which is the first of two games they will play against the same country during this qualifiers.

Per yesterday’s training, Francis Uzoho will keep his place in goal with a back four of players he has played with at some point in front of him. It consist of Bright Osayi-Samuel , Calvin Bassey, Semi Ajayi and Zaidu Sanusi. Although the coach also tried out the combination of Kevin Akpoguma and Bassey during yesterday’s session.

In midfield, it a straight forward choice with the trio of Wilfred Ndidi, Alex Iwobi and Joe Aribo the preferred trio but Kelechi Iheanacho also looked sharp and could shake off Aribo from the starting lineup.

In attack, Moses Simon will miss out with the duo of Samuel Chukwueze and Ademola Lookman mounting the left and right flank respectively . While in the coach’s favoured two man attack, the duo of Ademola Lookman and Victor Osimhen will take the spot. However Iheanacho could start alongside Osimhen in attack.

Nice of France hit man Terem Moffi will no doubt play some part in the game but most likely as a substitute, while Paul Onuachu might miss out on getting involved today.

Starting XI: Uzoho, Osayi-Samuel, Sanusi, Akpoguma, Bassey, Iwobi, Ndidi, Chukwueze, Iheanacho, Lookman, Osimhen.

The captain of the senior national team of Nigeria Ahmed Musa has fired back at people questioning his invitation to the senior national team of Nigeria for the AFCON qualifiers games against Guinea Bissau.

Musa hasn’t had the best of time at club level for a while now even at his present team Sivasspor, he has been a bit part player with just three minutes of action in his last four games before the international break.

Despite his lack of game time at club level, head coach of the senior national team of Nigeria Jose Peseiro still included him in his 23 man list for the back to back games against Guinea Bissau. It led to harsh criticism considering that he was picked at the expense of other players who have been active at their clubs.

Musa was asked about his future at the team and if he thinks he deserves a spot in the team base on his current form. He was also asked why he still believe he can contribute to the team instead of retiring from the team after 107 appearances.

“In as much as I am being invited by the coach and my body can carry me, I will continue to play for Nigeria”, he said at the pre match conference.

“The coach who invited knows better and as a patriotic Nigerian, I can’t decline my national team invitation after so much sacrifice.

“I don’t listen to those who are clamouring for my retirement. I remain focused on my career. Whoever is invited, people must talk, so, why should I listen to their comments”, he fired back at his critics.

Mohammed Mowiz

The decision of Jose Peseiro to invite Daniel Bameyi to the senior national team of Nigeria for the upcoming back to back AFCON qualifiers games against Guinea Bissau has stirred a lot of discussion.

Bameyi plays for non league side Yum Yum FC and recently captained the Nigeria U20 team to a third place finish at the U20 Africa Cup of Nations, the team also qualified for the World Cup by finishing among the top four teams at the tournament.

At the tournament, he wasn’t seen by many as one of the top players in the team and even in defence, he lost his spot as the centre back to Abel Ogwuche when he got suspended. When he returned, he was shifted to right back.

Benjamin Fredrick who was his partner in central defence for the group games was largely hailed as the star of the team but surprisingly the Simoiben Football Academy graduate wasn’t handed a call up.

Responding to the discussion surrounding the invitation of Bameyi, Peseiro explained that although he likes Frederick a lot, Bameyi got the nod due to the fact that he can play in as a right back and also as a centre back.

“As you can see, I choose two right backs, two left backs, three centre backs and Bameyi who can play right back and centre back, four midfielders, four wingers and four strikers.

“We want to build a team with balance. There are other players who are maybe better than Bameyi in Nigeria U20 team, okay I like the centre back (Benjamin Frederick) but can he do the same in the same position? No”, he rounded up saying.

Damian Waziri

The head coach of the senior national team of Nigeria Jose Peseiro has explained the reason behind his decision to invite the captain of the Nigeria U20 team to the senior national team of Nigeria for the Africa Cup of Nations qualifiers games against Guinea Bissau.

Bameyi made the 23 man list for the game and has been actively training with the rest of the team ahead of the first of back to back games against Guinea Bissau, which is scheduled for Friday at the Moshood Abiola stadium in Abuja.

Ahead of the game, Peseiro was asked the reason why he picked the defender who plays for non league side Yum Yum FC ahead of other players especially those in the Nigeria Professional League, he explained he only watched four league games in Nigeria which isn’t enough to assess a player but he watched Bameyi several times.

“I keep more time with the U20. I watched the training, I watched the friendly match. I watched three match, it’s different”, he explained at the pre match conference.

Bameyi recently represented Nigeria at the U20 Africa Cup of Nations, where he captained the Nigerian team to qualification for the World Cup by finishing third but he wasn’t rated as the best for Nigeria and even lost his centre back position upon his return from suspension. He had to fill in at right back.

Peseiro admitted that although they are other players who are technically better than the 17 year old, the fact that he can play in more than one role gave him the edge ahead of others particularly Benjamin Fredrick, a player he confessed that he likes a lot.

“I keep more time with the U20. I watched the training, I watched the friendly match. I watched three match, it’s different”, he said at the pre match conference.

One of the names that was missing from the list of invited players of the senior national team of Nigeria for the Africa Cup of Nations qualifiers was that of the top scorer in the English Championship Chuba Akpom.

Akpom has been unstoppable this season for Middlesbrough in the English Championship with 24 goals in 31 games, which has helped to keep the promotion dreams of the team alive. He has twice been voted the player of the month in the league.

However despite switching nationality to Nigeria from England, where he played at different levels as a junior international he was snubbed for the games against Guinea Bissau. His form since his decision to pledge his international future to Nigeria in 2019 has never been this good.

Reacting to why he was left out of the team,  coach of the team Peseiro said he takes responsibility for his omission, insisting that at the moment he doesn’t have faith in the 27 year old and trust the other players playing in his position to deliver in his team.

“If I give you one chance to take someone from my team and put him. Who will you remove? I like all my players. I like them and I understand you”, he responded to OGN editor in chief Mohammed Mowiz.

“It’s my job as the coach to choose the best player for our team but if I ask other guys or maybe the 120 million Nigerians . They can’t choose others but it’s my job and in my mind I choose the best players for our team.

“Of course I know this player., I have visit this player, you check this player. You know I visit many players at their clubs. If I choose this one in this moment. I believe more on him than the others . For that I am the coach, I take responsibility. If I loose cut my neck not your neck.

“I appreciate, I know this player, my staff also. We see these players for each weekend, we see 48 match, watching all the players. Yes he (Akpom) is a good player I know but in this moment. I don’t have enough confidence in him but in the future of course, it’s open for everyone”, he rounded up saying.