News
WIll Nigeria’s Failure To Reach AFCON 2015 Be Repeated Due To Super Eagles’ 3-0 Loss In Bissau?
An ominous question is rolling through various football circles in Nigeria, as observers begin to ask if the country’s inability to qualify for the 2015 Africa Cup of Nations will be repeated next year, Sports247 reports.
The rhetorical question is recurring due to the Super Eagles’ shock 3-0 loss away to Guinea-Bissau in their second match of the 2027 AFCON qualifiers, which revived memories of a similar set back 12 years ago.
Tuesday’s heavy defeat in Bissau brought back agonising memories of September 6th, 2014, when Congo Republic stunned the Super Eagles 3-2 at U.J. Esuene Stadium in Calabar and Nigeria subsequently failed to qualify for the 2015 AFCON in Equatorial Guinea.
The Eagles ultimately finished third in their qualifying group and failed to defend the title they had won two years earlier in South Africa, under the guidance of former national team captain and reliable defender, late Stephen Okechukwu Keshi (The Big Boss).
Sequel to Tuesday’s game at September 24 Stadium, Guinea-Bissau now lead Group L with six points and a goal difference of +5, while Nigeria sit second with three points and -2 goal difference, which makes it imperative that the Super Eagles must win all their remaining four matches.
However, aside from winning all the matches, the Eagles must beat Guinea-Bissau 4-0 during their last game in March 2027 to edge The Wild Dogs on head-to-head rules, while also noting that only one country will qualify from their group, because Tanzania are already in as co-hosts.
Consequently, the possibility of history repeating itself, with another failed qualification for AFCON ensuing at the end of the ongoing qualifiers, has now become an issue for heated debate in many football circles, publications and social media platforms.
Tribal Football’s Shina Oludare recalled with a post on his X handle @sportingshina: “The last time the Super Eagles conceded three goals against African opposition was 12 years ago.
“(It was) on September 6, 2014, when they suffered a shock 3-2 home defeat to Congo in an AFCON qualifier. Nigeria subsequently failed to qualify for AFCON 2015. Will history repeat itself?”
Sports247 reports further that, heading into MatchDay 3, Guinea-Bissau have six points, having started with a 2-0 victory away to co-hosts Tanzania, while Nigeria had an unconvincing 2-1 comeback win against Madagascar in Uyo, which cast further doubt about their ability to rise from the abyss.
The fear among many critical Nigerians now is that the Eagles will suffer a repeat of the damaging home draws they had with Lesotho, South Africa and Zimbabwe in the 2026 FIFA World Cup qualifiers; which ultimately knocked them out.
Although the Eagles’ last match of the 2027 AFCON qualifiers will be at home against Guinea-Bissau in March, many Nigerians already doubt their team’s ability to win that fixture, which would be very decisive in their quest for a ticket to the tournament.
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JOS GHETTO STORIES
Your Beginning Is Not Your Ending.
Welcome to Jos Ghetto Stories — a new Jos Events series created to tell the stories that are often overlooked, but should never be forgotten.
From the narrow streets of Gangare, Nasarawa, Angwan Rogo, Jenta-Adamu, Congo-Russia, Tudun Wada, Katako, Dadin Kowa, Bukuru and other communities across Jos, there are children growing up surrounded by challenges many of us may never fully understand.
Some wake up without knowing where their next meal will come from.
Some go to school with torn shoes.
Some live in crowded homes, struggle to afford basic needs, or watch their parents battle every day just to keep the family going.
And some are already beginning to believe that because they were born into hardship, hardship is all life has to offer them.
But we are here to tell them something different.
YOU CAN STILL BECOME GREAT.
Your address does not determine your destiny.
The street you grew up on does not decide the height you can reach.
Poverty may be part of your story, but it does not have to be the final chapter.
Look at Jos.
This city has produced and nurtured people who have gone on to make their mark far beyond the streets where their journeys began.
John Obi Mikel and Ogenyi Onazi, Ahmed Musa went from Jos to becoming aome of Nigeria’s most recognisable footballers, they all grew up from the Ghetto streets of Jos and made it in life through football to the point of representing Nigeria at the highest level.
Jeremiah Gyang, M.I Abaga and Ice Prince carried the sound and creativity of Jos into the Nigerian music industry and beyond.
P-Square and 2Baba are among the major names whose stories are connected to Jos.
Saint Obi,Dayo Okeniyi took their journey from Jos into international acting, while filmmakers Dimbo Atiya and Kenneth Gyang, have used film to tell stories that travel far beyond home.
And there are many more whose names may not yet be famous—but whose stories prove that greatness can rise from ordinary beginnings. 
So when we walk through the streets of Jos and meet these children, we are not looking at “ghetto children.”
We are looking at future doctors, engineers, footballers, musicians, filmmakers, entrepreneurs, teachers, leaders, creatives and nation builders.
We are looking at potential.
We are looking at dreams waiting for an opportunity.
Because sometimes, all a child needs is somebody to look them in the eyes and say:
“I believe in you.”
That is what Jos Ghetto Stories is about.
We will tell the stories of the streets.
We will show the struggles.
We will celebrate the talent.
We will listen to the dreams.
And most importantly, we will remind every young person watching that you can become the best version of yourself, regardless of where you started.
Your parents may not have everything.
Your environment may not be perfect.
You may not have the opportunities others have.
But never allow your circumstances to convince you that you cannot become somebody.
The world may see a child from the slum.
We see a future star.
The world may see a difficult beginning.
We see a story waiting to become extraordinary.
This is Jos Ghetto Stories.
Stories from the streets.
Stories of struggle.
Stories of hope.
Stories of talent.
Stories of resilience.
Stories of people who refuse to let their circumstances define them.
Because from the streets of Jos, greatness can rise.
And perhaps, the next great story is the child standing beside you.
JOS EVENTS PRESENTS: JOS GHETTO STORIES.
Your Beginning Is Not Your Ending.
Dream. Believe. Rise.
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