Ola Aina of the Nigeria Super Eagles stands with his right hand over his heart in the white and green national team jersey during a match at a stadium filled with fans
Ola Aina during the national anthem at the Uyo sports stadium

Nottingham Forest defender Ola Aina remained an unused substitute as Nigeria’s Super Eagles fell 3-0 to Guinea-Bissau in a 2027 Africa Cup of Nations qualifier on Tuesday at the Estádio 24 de Setembro in Bissau. 

Bright Osayi-Samuel started at right-back in his place. The result marked the first competitive defeat for coach Eric Chelle and left the Super Eagles with three points from two Group L matches after their earlier win over Madagascar.

Super Eagles media officer Promise Efoghe later explained the decision to keep Aina on the bench. He pointed to the poor state of the playing surface, which had been affected by heavy rains, and linked it directly to the defender’s previous injury. 

“They are very similar. You wonder why Ola Aina could not play the game yesterday; it is a physiological thing,” Efoghe told News Central TV. He recalled that Aina suffered a serious injury on a similarly bad pitch against South Africa in a 2026 World Cup qualifier at Free State Stadium in Bloemfontein, an issue that kept him out of football for nearly a year and required surgery.

Efoghe noted the conditions raised legitimate concerns for players returning from long-term absences. Coach Chelle also referenced the difficult surface and hot weather after the match, though he accepted that Guinea-Bissau showed greater intensity.