Akor Adams has admitted that Nigeria’s 3-0 defeat to Guinea-Bissau exposed the Super Eagles on a night when they failed to play anywhere near the level they expect from themselves, with the striker now calling for a response when they face Russia in Tuesday’s international friendly, Footynaija.com reports.
Nigeria had started their 2027 Africa Cup of Nations qualifying campaign with a 2-1 comeback win over Madagascar in Uyo, but the trip to Bissau produced a completely different result.
Franculino Djú put Guinea-Bissau ahead after 15 minutes before Mama Baldé doubled the lead in the second half, while Álvaro Djaló added a third in stoppage time.
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The result was particularly costly because Guinea-Bissau had also won their opening qualifier against Tanzania and moved to six points, while Nigeria remained on three. Adams started both matches and played 75 minutes in Bissau before making way for George Ilenikhena.
Adams accepts responsibility and demands a response
Speaking in a video posted by the Nigeria Football Federation, Adams refused to hide behind the difficult conditions in Bissau, even though he believes the state of the pitch was below the standard African football should accept.
“I think there are many factors that happen in the game but it’s not the game we should lose which we would take responsibility and we have taken responsibility for that,” Adams said.
He believes the defeat was especially frustrating because the Super Eagles knew exactly what was at stake.
“It’s a game we prepared very well for, we know how important it was to us in the qualification phase,” he added. “But looking back we are already making corrections to what happened in the game.”
Adams admitted that Nigeria simply failed to produce their best performance.
“We were on the bad side on that day as a group, as a team. We know where our possibilities are and how good we can be when we’re on our best days, but that wasn’t our best day.”
The Venezia forward also addressed the pitch, but made it clear that Nigeria could not use it as an excuse.
“A good pitch should be a bare minimum for African football,” he said. “I’m not making any excuses. We are professionals… whatever the circumstance we should be able to find our way.”
For Adams, the bigger issue is meeting the standard attached to playing for Nigeria. The Super Eagles now have Russia in Nizhny Novgorod, giving Eric Chelle’s side an immediate opportunity to respond after the heavy qualifying defeat.
“We already set the standards very high so living up to that standard is what we wake up to do every day as the Super Eagles,” Adams said.
He also revealed that the players were hurt by the defeat, with captain William Troost-Ekong particularly unhappy after Nigeria returned from Bissau empty-handed.
Nigeria’s qualification campaign still has four matches remaining, but Adams knows the team cannot afford another performance like the one in Bissau. Russia, meanwhile, will provide a different test in a friendly where Chelle is also expected to assess several newer players.
“It’s still the Super Eagles and we know what we stand for,” Adams said. “The coach has made it clear that we are here to try our best to win.”
