'It's a journey' - Guinea-Bissau coach refuses to get carried away after win over Nigeria

Guinea-Bissau head coach Emiliano Té has played down suggestions that the Djurtus are already assured of a place at the 2027 Africa Cup of Nations after their impressive 3-0 victory over Nigeria.

The Djurtus produced a commanding performance against the Super Eagles at the Estádio Nacional 24 de Setembro in Bissau on Tuesday, securing their second successive win in Group L.

Franculino Djú opened the scoring before Mama Baldé doubled the advantage, while Álvaro Djaló completed the victory in stoppage time. 

The result moved Guinea-Bissau into a strong position in the qualifying group, having previously defeated Tanzania 2-0 in their opening fixture.

Nigeria, meanwhile, had begun their campaign with a 2-1 victory over Madagascar before suffering their first defeat of the qualifying series against Té's side. 

Despite the convincing nature of the victory, Té insisted that there is still considerable work to be done before Guinea-Bissau can celebrate qualification for the continental tournament.

Speaking during his post-match press conference, the Guinea-Bissau coach stressed that Tuesday's result should be viewed as another step in a longer campaign rather than evidence that qualification has already been secured.

“It’s a journey to reach the African Cup of Nations. The victory against Nigeria demonstrates that the national team is doing well and will continue to evolve in the upcoming matches," he said as quoted by Odemocratagb.

Té also called for continued tactical discipline and improvement from his players, warning that every fixture in the qualifying campaign presents a different challenge.

“Every game has its own story. You need to play tactical football, create better scoring opportunities, and always believe that you can do more and better, regardless of the opponent," he added.

Guinea-Bissau's victory is particularly significant because Tanzania, one of the co-hosts of the 2027 tournament, are already assured of qualification.

That leaves Nigeria, Guinea-Bissau and Madagascar competing for the remaining qualifying place in Group L. 

Wale Adejumo