Super Eagles redeem their image with 1-0 victory away to Guinea-Bissau in Nations Cup qualifier

NIGERIA'S Super Eagles have redeemed their battered image a bit today with a 1-0 victory over Guinea-Bissau in an African Cup of Nations qualifier thanks to a 30th minute penalty b winger Simon Moses.

On Friday, Nigeria lost the first leg of the tie to the Guineans at the MKO Abiola Stadium in Abuja, after suffering a shock 0-1 defeat in Abuja. Today, the Eagles redeemed their battered image with a lone goal victory in Bissau, which now gives them nine points from four games, keeping them top of the group.

This win has eased the pressure on the Super Eagles who before the match were just a point ahead of third placed Sierra Leone. Nigeria will go into the next fixture, two points ahead of Guinea-Bissau who are on seven points and Sierra Leone who have five points, with Sao Tome and Principe bottom of the group with one point.

A point against Sierra Leone away in Freetown in the next fame could see Nigeria qualifying ahead of their last home game against an already eliminated Sao Tome and Principe.  In June, the next round of the qualifiers will take place when Nigeria travel away to Sierra Leone and Guinea Bissau take on Sao Tome and Principe.

Today, hot shot strikers Victor Osimhen and Samuel Chukwueze could not convert chances in the first half, before Moses Simon put Nigeria in front from the spot. In the first half, the Wild Dogs, looked dangerous as they did in the first leg in Abuja but failed to unscramble the new Kenneth Omeruo/Semi Ajayi partnership in the centre of Nigeria’s defence.

Osimhen was denied by the upright in the 59th minute when he flashed a shot past the goalkeeper Mendes and four minutes later, the Napoli man blew shot skywards after being put through by Chukwueze. In the second half, the Wild Dogs plied the pressure on but the Eagles held firm to keep a clean sheet.