Super Eagles: 2 changes Chelle must make ahead of Guinea-Bissau showdown

The Super Eagles return to action in the 2027 Africa Cup of Nations qualifiers on Tuesday when they face Guinea-Bissau as they look to make it two wins from two matches, Afrik-Foot reports.

Eric Chelle’s side kicked off their campaign with a 2-1 comeback win over Madagascar last Friday, putting them on three points alongside their next opponents. George Ilenikhena and Moses Usor scored the goals that completed Nigeria’s comeback after Ehsan Kari had given Madagascar an early lead.

The game also saw the return of Stanley Nwabali to the Super Eagles goal, while Victor Osimhen missed the encounter through injury, leaving Ilenikhena to partner Akor Adams in attack.

The Guinea-Bissau clash is therefore another important test for Chelle’s team as they look to avoid dropping points and secure a favourable result that would strengthen their position in the group.

Guinea-Bissau also won their opening game, defeating Tanzania 2-0 to show that they are no pushovers in Group L.

With only one qualification spot available from the group, there is little room for mistakes, making Tuesday’s encounter even more important for Nigeria. The win over Madagascar also left Chelle with a few questions to answer, especially regarding his tactical setup.

Chelle must make attacking changes

One major change Chelle could make against Guinea-Bissau is to provide more support to his attack. Against Madagascar, he started with Ilenikhena and Adams up front, while Samuel Chukwueze and Ademola Lookman provided width from the flanks.

While the combination was very strong on paper, it did not work as well as expected for large periods of the game. Ilenikhena eventually scored, but Adams struggled to make a major impact, while Chukwueze and Lookman also found it difficult to consistently influence the game from the wings.

One way Chelle could solve this problem is by pushing one of his midfielders higher up the pitch. Rather than leaving Wilfred Ndidi and Alex Iwobi as the main midfield options behind the attack, Chelle could allow Iwobi to play further forward and operate closer to the forwards.

Iwobi has the quality to find passes between the lines and could help connect the midfield with the attack. That would give Nigeria another player around the box and could prevent Ilenikhena or Adams from becoming isolated.

With Guinea-Bissau likely to defend in numbers at certain stages, having an extra attacking midfielder around the forwards could also help Nigeria create more chances.

Chelle should add more bodies to Super Eagles midfield

The second possible change should be aimed at giving Nigeria more strength and control in midfield. Ndidi and Iwobi provided the midfield base against Madagascar, but Chelle could consider adding another central midfielder to give the team more energy and physicality.

Va falloir mettre du 𝑹𝑬𝑺𝑷𝑬𝑪𝑻 sur le nom d’Éric-Sékou Chelle. 🇲🇱🇳🇬👏🏾 pic.twitter.com/twNMkePonq

— 🏆 Actu Foot Afrique (@ActuFootAfrique) September 26, 2026

Frank Onyeka could be an option for this role. His ability to cover ground and help in the defensive work could give Nigeria more balance, especially if Iwobi is allowed to operate further forward.

A midfield trio of Ndidi, Onyeka and Iwobi would give Chelle different qualities in the centre of the pitch.

Ndidi could focus more on protecting the defence and winning the ball, Onyeka could provide the energy and physical presence, while Iwobi would have more freedom to move forward and support the attack and this could also help Nigeria control the tempo better.

Against Madagascar, there were periods when the Super Eagles struggled to maintain control of the game, and adding another midfielder could help them win the midfield battle and prevent Guinea-Bissau from gaining momentum.

It would also allow Nigeria to have more bodies around the ball when they lose possession, reducing the space available for Guinea-Bissau’s attackers to exploit.