The Super Eagles of Nigeria will take on Guinea-Bissau in a 2023 African Cup of Nations (AFCON) double-header qualifier on Friday, March 24, at the Abuja National Stadium and Monday, March 27, at the Estádio 24 de Setembro in Bissau.

The Super Eagles currently top the AFCON qualifier Group A standings with 6 points from two games, while Guinea-Bissau sits in second place with 4 points from the same number of games, followed by Sierra Leone in third place with 1 point, and Sao Tome and Principe in fourth place with no point.

The last time both teams met was in the group stage of the 2021 AFCON tournament in Cameroon.

Nigeria defeated Guinea-Bissau 2-0 at the Roumdé Adjia Stadium in Garoua, thanks to goals from Umar Sadiq and William Troost-Ekong.

However, the Daily Post reports that Super Eagles manager Jose Peseiro has already named a 23-man squad to take on Guinea-Bissau in the 2023 AFCON qualifier double-header this month.

Peseiro included three goalkeepers, eight defenders, four midfielders, and eight strikers in the list to face Guinea-Bissau.

On Peseiro’s list, four players—Victor Sochima, Kingsley Aniagboso, Bruno Onyemaechi, and Daniel Bameyi—are seeking their debuts for the Super Eagles team.

Ahead of the 2023 AFCON double-header qualifiers between Nigeria and Guinea-Bissau, The Daily Post takes a look at some of the key factors to note.

In a chat with the Daily Post, Abubakar Ibrahim, the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) FC head coach, spoke on different issues about the AFCON qualifiers.

On what basis do you think Peseiro will select his starting XI and strengthen his team ahead of the game?

Ibrahim said: “I feel he should pick his starting XI based on his current form and not a recommendation.

“I believe he has been monitoring the players at their respective club sides as they have featured in recent weeks. So he should select his best XI that will execute the job for Nigeria.

Which department in the Super Eagles squad do you think is lacking ahead of the match?

He said: “Obviously, the goalkeeping department has been a challenge for the Super Eagles in recent months. You can recall during the last AFCON in Cameroon when we played against Tunisia.

“A shot from outside the box from a Tunisia player, Youssef [Msakni], saw Nigeria eliminated from the Nations Cup round of 16 and also during the qualifiers to the 2022 FIFA World Cup in Qatar, another shot from outside the box by Thomas Partey ensured Nigeria did not qualify for the World Cup.”

What is your advice to Super Eagles captain Ahmed Musa as he leads his teammates against Guinea-Bissau?

Ibrahim said, “Musa is the most experienced player in the squad. He currently plays club football in Turkey. "I want him to use his experience both on and off the pitch to motivate his teammates to go all out and beat Guinea-Bissau.”

What is your prediction for the game?

He said: “I believe with the firepower the Super Eagles have at the moment upfront, they will surely prevail against Guinea-Bissau. "My prediction is 3-0 in the first leg and 2-1 in the second leg.”