# AFCON Qualifiers Give Fans Plenty of Football Gist

The AFCON qualifiers have given football fans talking across Africa, with Nigeria’s shock 3-0 defeat to Guinea-Bissau standing out as one of the biggest stories from the latest round of matches.
The result was more than just another defeat for the Super Eagles. It was a major surprise in Group L, considering Nigeria had started their campaign with a 2-1 comeback victory over Madagascar. Guinea-Bissau, meanwhile, followed up their opening win with another impressive performance to move to the top of the group with six points from two matches.
Franculino Djú opened the scoring after 15 minutes before Mama Baldé doubled Guinea-Bissau’s advantage in the second half. Álvaro Djaló then added a third in stoppage time to complete a memorable night for the hosts. For Nigeria, the result left the three-time African champions with just three points from their first two matches and increased the pressure ahead of the next round.
Nigeria are naturally among the teams that football fans are watching most closely. The Super Eagles carry enormous expectations whenever they enter an AFCON campaign, and a heavy defeat like this quickly becomes a major talking point among supporters. The attention has also been heightened by the fact that Nigeria were unable to immediately return to qualifying action, with their next AFCON fixtures scheduled for November.
The wider qualifying campaign has produced plenty of other talking points. Morocco, Côte d’Ivoire, Rwanda, South Africa, Mali and Guinea-Bissau all made perfect starts after two matches, while Egypt recorded one of the biggest wins of the round by defeating South Sudan 5-0. Ghana also attracted attention after surrendering a two-goal lead in a dramatic 4-2 loss to The Gambia.
For Nigerian supporters, however, Guinea-Bissau remains the immediate subject of discussion. Online conversations have centred on Nigeria’s performance, the defensive problems exposed during the defeat and what coach Eric Chelle needs to change before the qualifiers resume.
Interestingly, Nigeria showed a different side just days later in a friendly against Russia, fighting back from 3-1 down to earn a 3-3 draw. Although the match was not part of the AFCON qualifying campaign, the comeback offered supporters something positive to discuss after the disappointment in Bissau.
With the next AFCON qualifiers coming in November, the race is still wide open. But one thing is already clear: the road to the 2027 tournament has provided plenty of drama, surprises, and African football stories for supporters to debate.