Super Eagles coach Éric Chelle said Guinea-Bissau showed greater aggression and intensity during the match, while Nigeria struggled to adapt to the pitch and hot weather conditions.
Chelle acknowledged that the hosts were more familiar with the playing surface, which Nigeria was using for the first time, but said the conditions should not be treated as an excuse.
“They were more aggressive than us; they were better than us,” Chelle said.
“Though this is not an excuse, they know their pitch. They usually play on this pitch, but for us, it was the first time, and the pitch was very bad. The weather was very hot too.”
According to the coach, Guinea-Bissau started the game with greater motivation and intensity, leaving Nigeria unable to find an effective response.
“We tried to go forward after half-time, to bring something new, but after 10 minutes, we stopped, and I don’t know why,” he added.
