Nigeria are three points behind Guinea-Bissau in Group L and host Tanzania in Uyo on 13 November.
Nigeria go into their AFCON 2027 qualifiers against Tanzania without a clean sheet in any of their last five games, Soccernet reports, citing Afrik-Foot. Super Eagles coach Eric Chelle has overseen a run that takes in friendlies against Russia, Portugal and Poland, the qualifier against Madagascar and a 3-0 defeat by Guinea-Bissau. Nigeria beat Madagascar 2-1 in that qualifier but still conceded.
Guinea-Bissau lead Group L with six points, while Madagascar and Tanzania have one apiece. So far, Nigeria have scored two goals and conceded four in their pair of qualifiers.
Tanzania's co-hosting role changes the qualifying picture. According to the format CAF has published, Tanzania have already secured a finals berth, and just the top-ranked side from Nigeria, Guinea-Bissau and Madagascar will join them, Prime9ja reports.
The return leg is in Dar es Salaam on 17 November, according to the Nigeria Football Federation's published schedule.
The Super Eagles' latest game finished 3-3 against Russia, a friendly played on 6 October in Nizhny Novgorod. Kelechi Iheanacho opened the scoring, but Russia went 3-1 up before Peter Edokpolor and Akor Adams drew Nigeria level. Edokpolor found the net in the 78th minute, whereas Adams equalised in the fourth minute of stoppage time. Nine players made their international debuts in that draw, among them Igor Wilfred and Abubakar Umar.
Afrik-Foot considers Semi Ajayi, Bright Osayi-Samuel and Stanley Nwabali players of proven quality, the first a defender, the second a winger and the third a goalkeeper. It calls for more minutes for Chibuike Nwaiwu, Abdullahi Bewene and Benjamin Fredrick.
Afrik-Foot reported that Victor Osimhen was expected to return after a fitness concern kept him out of the October fixtures. Kelechi Iheanacho keeps scoring for Bursaspor, and Afrik-Foot names Akor Adams, George Ilenikhena and Tolu Arokodare as attacking candidates who could feature against Tanzania.
Soccernet argues that goals alone will not fix the table. Five games without a shutout, it says, suggest Nigeria cannot count on outscoring every opponent, so how Chelle sets up the midfield in front of the defence may matter as much as who leads the line. If Nigeria concede first at home, it adds, the pressure on a group that needs points will rise quickly.
Soccernet points to the workload on the staff as another factor. Chelle also coaches the Olympic Eagles, whose U23 Africa Cup of Nations qualifier against DR Congo falls on the same dates as the Tanzania games. The NFF has the U23 first leg on 13 November at TP Mazembe Stadium in Lubumbashi, with the return at Remo Stars Stadium in Ikenne on 17 November.
The November games are rounds three and four of the senior qualifying campaign, and CAF has allocated 22-30 March 2027 for the final two rounds.
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