Speaking after the match, Chelle did not shy away from the result. “Guinea-Bissau were better than us,” he said.
The Franco-Malian coach pointed to the poor condition of the playing surface as a significant factor. “They always play on this pitch. They know it better than us. For us, it was the first time. It was very, very bad,” Chelle explained.
He also highlighted the challenging weather conditions in Bissau. “The weather was very hot too,” he added.
Beyond the pitch and the heat, Chelle acknowledged that the hosts displayed greater intensity and motivation throughout the encounter. “They were more motivated, more aggressive. They put more intensity and we never found the solution,” the Super Eagles coach said.
Despite the heavy defeat, which leaves Nigeria with a difficult start to their Group L campaign, Chelle insisted he retains confidence in his players. He looked ahead to the return fixture on home soil.
“When Guinea-Bissau come to Nigeria, we have to put them in the same situation and the same conditions too,” he said. “I’m still confident about my team and my players. But today was bad for us.”
The Super Eagles will now regroup and look to improve significantly in their remaining fixtures as they attempt to revive their hopes of qualifying for the 2027 AFCON finals.