Emmanuel Ikpeme, Acting General Secretary of the Nigeria Football Federation, has called on the Super Eagles to stay fully concentrated and guard against any hint of complacency as they prepare to meet Guinea-Bissau in a 2027 Africa Cup of Nations qualifier.

The match is scheduled for Tuesday at the 24 September Stadium in Bissau, and Ikpeme made clear that nothing short of a full-effort victory will be acceptable.

A timely reminder from the federation

Addressing the players directly before the fixture, Ikpeme drew on the memory of Nigeria's last visit to the same ground. "We were here for a similar AFCON qualifying match three years ago, and we won by a lone goal," he told the squad.

He urged the team to channel that same determination into Tuesday's encounter. "Victory is crucial on Tuesday, and I believe you will give your all for the three points as you did three years ago, and as you did on Friday against Madagascar in Uyo," Ikpeme said.

The acting secretary was equally emphatic about the quality of the opposition. "Our focus and concentration must be one hundred percent for the entire 90 minutes, because Guinea-Bissau is a very strong team in every way you look at it," he stressed.

Ikpeme pointed to Nigeria's experience at the 2021 Africa Cup of Nations in Cameroon as evidence of how dangerous the Wild Dogs can be. "We played them at the 2021 AFCON in Cameroon and we needed all our strength and diligence to win. The team is not one that we can take for granted."

Head-to-head record

Nigeria hold a comfortable edge in the all-time record between the two sides, having won three of four official senior international meetings. Guinea-Bissau have claimed one victory in those encounters — a reminder that the Wild Dogs are capable of causing an upset when the opportunity presents itself.