Guinea Scares Nigeria’s Super Eagles With 2-0 Win In Pre-AFCON Friendly

Guinea pulled off a stunning 2-0 victory over the Super Eagles of Nigeria in their pre-AFCON friendly match on Monday, January 8, 2024.

The match outcome is sure to send shockwaves through the football world and inject some serious excitement into the upcoming tournament, Sportxparte reports.

Guinea secured the win in the friendly match played at the Bani Yas Stadium in Abu Dhabi.

This impressive performance is a huge confidence boost for Guinea heading into the AFCON, proving they can compete against the best on the continent.

However,  the match is seen as a major setback for Nigeria. This result is a major blow to their pre-tournament momentum. The Super Eagles would need to regroup quickly and analyze what went wrong if they want to make a strong impact in the AFCON.

It is understood that Nigeria had a chance to earn a goal in the match but lost it. A penalty was awarded to the Super Eagles in the 19th after striker Umar was hacked down.

Unfortunately, the Guinean goalie denied Simon a goal from the penalty spot before Nigeria conceded a second goal in the 60th minute.

Nigeria is bound to face Equatorial Guinea in their first Group A match on January 14, before facing host nation Ivory Coast four days later.

Subsequently, on January 22, Nigeria will play Guinea Bissau in their final group A encounter.

In the build-up, today’s friendly is considered a thrilling encounter, with both teams creating some chances.

Ultimately, Guinea’s clinical finishing proved the difference. This result adds even more intrigue to the upcoming AFCON, as it shows that any team can be on their day.

It’s still early days, but this pre-tournament upset has certainly set the stage for an exciting AFCON.  Recall that the 2023 AFCON tournament is scheduled to start on the 13th of February in Cote d’Ivoire.