Nigeria began their 2027 Africa Cup of Nations qualifying campaign with a 2-1 victory over Madagascar after recovering from an early setback at the Godswill Akpabio International Stadium in Uyo.
The Super Eagles fell behind in the 16th minute but responded with two goals to overturn the deficit and secure victory in their opening qualifying match.
Head coach Éric Chelle praised his players for their response after Madagascar took the lead, saying their attitude and determination were important in securing the comeback.
Madagascar made a bright start and silenced the home crowd when Kari Eshan rose to meet a cross from the left and headed the ball into the net in the 16th minute.
Nigeria struggled to turn their chances into goals during the first half, with Chelle acknowledging that his side became anxious in front of goal after falling behind.
“We made a mistake and conceded. After that, we had chances to score, but we were too anxious and couldn’t convert them,” Chelle said during his post-match interaction with the media.
The Super Eagles eventually found an equaliser in first-half stoppage time through George Ilenikhena.
Ilenikhena, making his first appearance for Nigeria, received a pass from Alex Iwobi before finding the net to bring the hosts level just before the interval.
The equaliser gave Nigeria a platform to complete the turnaround after the break, and they went ahead in the 65th minute.
Moses Usor produced the decisive moment when he dribbled past two Madagascar defenders before firing the ball into the net to put Nigeria 2-1 ahead.
Chelle said he was pleased with the way his players reacted to the challenge, particularly after they had initially struggled to convert their opportunities.
“But in the end, we were able to come back and win the game. That was very important.
“The state of mind was good. They gave everything for the jersey and for the country. I was very happy because Victor was here too.
“I was happy because it means this group is trying to go forward and do something great.”
The Nigeria coach also pointed to the difficulty created by Madagascar’s defensive tactics during the match.
According to Chelle, the Barea adopted a low defensive block that made it harder for the Super Eagles to find openings and create clear opportunities.
Nigeria also had to rely on goalkeeper Stanley Nwabali at an important stage of the contest. Chelle highlighted a one-on-one save by Nwabali as a significant moment during the match.
“Stanley Nwabali did well by making a good save in the one-on-one situation. It was an important save at that point in the game,” Chelle said.
Despite conceding first and having difficulty converting chances, Nigeria maintained their efforts and eventually turned the match around.
The victory gives Chelle’s side a positive start to their 2027 Africa Cup of Nations qualifying campaign, while Madagascar were left unable to hold on to the advantage they established early in the match.
For Nigeria, the result was secured through goals from Ilenikhena and Usor after Eshan had given Madagascar the lead.
Chelle’s assessment after the match centred on the response of his players, particularly their willingness to continue competing after going behind and their ability to produce the goals required to complete the comeback.
The Super Eagles therefore began their qualifying campaign with a 2-1 win, having recovered from an early Madagascar goal to claim victory in Uyo.
