AFCON 2021: Eguavoen to make changes for Guinea-Bissau

Nigeria head coach Augustine Eguavoen has quashed the expectations of those expecting wholesale changes to the Super Eagles team when they face Guinea-Bissau on Wednesday.

Both West African Nations clash at the Stade Roumdé Adjia, Garoua in their third group game of the Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) going on in Cameroon in a dead rubber contest for the Nigerians.

Nigeria are guaranteed of top spot in Group D regardless of the result of Wednesday’s game but the Bissau-Guineans need full three points to retain any chance of progression.

Speaking at the pre-match press conference on Tuesday afternoon, Eguavoen says his team will approach the game with the same mindset they’ve done their previous games.

“(It’s our) third game in the group. We will not take our foot off the pedal,” began Eguavoen who was accompanied to the Presser by his Vice-captain William Troost-Ekong.

“We’ve always respected our opponents, we will keep respecting them and we are going to approach this game with the same enthusiasm and push that we did in the first two games.”

At least ten of Nigeria’s 27-man team in Cameroon are yet to taste a minute of action in the competition. Many expect that the coach could change the entire set-up but Eguavoen says only a few would be made.

“It’s always good to qualify. We’ve done that with style, so expect few changes tomorrow because everybody that has come here is ready to play and I’ve always told them “your chance will come” but don’t expect massive changes but there will be one or two.”

Nigeria have six points from two matches and are guaranteed group winners based on head to head while Guinea-Bissau have one point from their first two matches.

Fisayo Dairo, reporting from Garoua, Cameroon