Guinea-Bissau head coach Emiliano Té says the Djurtus are capable of beating Nigeria when both teams meet in the second round of the 2027 Africa Cup of Nations qualifiers in Bissau on Tuesday.

Té acknowledged that securing victory against the three-time African champions would be difficult but said the task was not impossible.

Speaking at his pre-match press briefing on Monday, the 43-year-old former midfielder said Guinea-Bissau would not be distracted by the previous results between the two countries.

“We know it’s difficult to beat Nigeria, but it’s not impossible. We’re not going to look at the history of matches between the two teams,” Té said.

Nigeria have won three of the four previous official meetings between the sides, including their most recent encounters, while Guinea-Bissau recorded a 1-0 victory in Abuja during the 2023 AFCON qualifying campaign.

Té said the historical record would have little bearing on Tuesday’s encounter, insisting that the circumstances surrounding the current fixture were different.

“Today, the motivation is different, the moment is different, and the objectives are also different,” he said.

He said his players would approach the match with composure and courage as they seek to claim all three points on home soil.

Guinea-Bissau began their qualifying campaign with a 2-0 away victory over Tanzania, while Nigeria opened their campaign with a 2-1 comeback win over Madagascar in Uyo. Both teams therefore go into the encounter with three points from their opening matches.

The Group L fixture is scheduled for the 24 September Stadium in Bissau, with the two sides meeting in a top-of-the-table contest.

Nigeria head coach Éric Chelle has said the Super Eagles will not underestimate Guinea-Bissau, describing the hosts as a strong side that would be confident after their opening away victory.

Chelle said Nigeria’s objective was to secure three points but stressed that the team would need to maintain a strong mentality throughout the match.