Nigeria suffered their first defeat of the AFCON 2023 qualifying campaign after Guinea-Bissau picked up a stunning 1-0 win at the Moshood Abiola Stadium in Abuja.
The shocking defeat means the three-time African champions have a huge task on their hands with a win away against the visitors in the reverse leg on Monday the only option to remain in the frame for automatic qualification as one of the two teams from Group A.
However, Guinea-Bissau gradually asserted themselves in the game and it paid off in the 29th minute when danger man Mama Balde pounced on a lifted ball over the central defenders who were flat on their lines.
Opa Sangante found the run of Mama Samba Balde with a delightful pass over the Nigerian defence which the striker controlled beautifully and slotted through the legs of the onrushing Francis Uzoho.
Nigeria continued to create dangerous scenarios but lacked the required cutting edge in the final third which was strange for a nation with high-flying forwards in European football.
The first half ended and Super Eagles coach Jose Peseiro responded with two halftime substitutions in a bid to change the outcome.
The Eagles came out more purposeful in the 56th minute of the second stanza and almost level terms but Moses Simon could not direct Chukwueze’s low cross to goal.
In the 61st minute Osimhen collected the ball and hit a shot which the keeper held well.
Ten minutes to full-time, Simon got to the baseline and sent a decent cross to Onuachu but the Southampton man managed to get his final effort off target when it seemed easier to score.
And despite having a few more half-chances, Guinea-Bissau held on bravely to secure one of the biggest wins in the nation’s history.
With the victory, the Wild Dogs move on to seven points to overtake Nigeria at the top of Group A.
The two teams will face off again on Monday in the return leg in Bissau.