Ola Aina is not listed as playing for Nigeria in its 3-0 defeat to Guinea-Bissau in a 2027 Africa Cup of Nations qualifier, and Nigeria’s media officer Promise Efoghe says the decision is tied to the match pitch. Efoghe says concerns over the condition of the Bissau playing surface affected the call on Aina’s availability.
According to the reports, Aina had returned to the Super Eagles squad earlier in the month, but he remained an unused substitute in the match. Efoghe links the fitness reasoning to fear of another hamstring injury recurrence, pointing to the risk posed by the state of the pitch. The outlets present the same explanation, focusing on pitch conditions and injury prevention rather than tactical factors or selection alternatives.
Across all sources, the common details are Nigeria’s 3-0 loss, the opponent being Guinea-Bissau, Aina’s role as an unused substitute, and Efoghe’s clarification that pitch-related concerns influenced whether he featured.
