Eric Chelle Remains Unbeaten as Super Eagles Rally Past Madagascar

Nigeria’s Super Eagles continued their unbeaten run under head coach Éric Chelle in competitive matches after coming from behind to defeat Madagascar

September 26, 2026

15d ago

Nigeria’s Super Eagles continued their unbeaten run under head coach Éric Chelle in competitive matches after coming from behind to defeat Madagascar 2-1 in their opening 2027 Africa Cup of Nations qualifying fixture on Friday. The victory at the Godswill Akpabio International Stadium in Uyo gave Nigeria three valuable points in Group L, but it was the manner of the result that provided another notable chapter in Chelle’s tenure. Madagascar stunned the home crowd by taking the lead in the first half, putting Nigeria under early pressure and briefly raising memories of the Barea’s famous 2-0 victory over the Super Eagles at the 2019 AFCON. However, Chelle’s side responded with character and turned the game around through two debutants. Ilenikhena sparks the comeback Nigeria found themselves behind after Madagascar opened the scoring in the first half. The Super Eagles continued to push for an equaliser and eventually got their reward shortly before the break through George Ilenikhena. The young forward, making his senior international debut, finished from close range after Alex Iwobi created the opportunity, sending the teams into halftime level at 1-1. It was a significant moment for both the player and the team. With Victor Osimhen unavailable because of injury, Chelle turned to new attacking options, and Ilenikhena immediately repaid the manager's faith with an important debut goal. Usor completes the turnaround Nigeria returned for the second half determined to find the winning goal. Chelle made changes to inject more energy into the attack, and one of those substitutions proved decisive. Moses Usor, also making his senior debut for the Super Eagles, produced the moment that completed Nigeria’s comeback. The LASK forward picked up the ball inside Nigeria’s half, drove forward, beat defenders and fired past the Madagascar goalkeeper in the 65th minute to put the Super Eagles 2-1 ahead. Nigeria held on for the remainder of the match despite Madagascar continuing to threaten, securing a winning start to their AFCON 2027 qualifying campaign. Chelle's unbeaten competitive run continues Beyond the three points, the result extended an impressive statistical record for Éric Chelle. The Franco-Malian coach has now remained unbeaten in regulation time in every competitive match since taking charge of Nigeria in January 2025. That record has survived different challenges, including difficult away fixtures, knockout pressure and now a qualifying campaign that Nigeria cannot afford to start slowly. The Madagascar game was another example of Nigeria having to respond to adversity rather than controlling the match from start to finish. Chelle himself acknowledged after the game that Nigeria were not at their technical best, but praised the mentality and commitment of his players. The coach said the team’s state of mind helped them secure the result, stressing that the players gave everything for the shirt and the country. New faces making their mark Perhaps the biggest positive from the victory was the immediate impact of Nigeria’s new generation. Both Ilenikhena and Usor found the net on their senior international debuts, giving Chelle additional attacking options as the qualifying campaign progresses. Their performances were particularly important because Nigeria entered the match without Osimhen, who was ruled out with a muscle injury. Rather than relying on one individual, the Super Eagles found solutions through the squad, with two newcomers ultimately producing the goals that delivered victory. Moses Simon also marked a special occasion during the match, reaching 100 senior appearances for Nigeria after coming on during the encounter. A winning start, but work remains While the comeback provides Nigeria with an important three points, the performance also highlighted areas Chelle will want to improve. Madagascar were able to cause problems, particularly during the opening stages, while Nigeria had to fight their way back after conceding first. For Chelle, however, the ability to recover from difficult situations could prove valuable throughout a long qualifying campaign. The Super Eagles now have an early three points on the board and will turn their attention to their next Group L fixture against Guinea-Bissau on September 29. The objective will be to build on the Madagascar victory and maintain momentum as Nigeria pursue qualification for the 2027 Africa Cup of Nations. For now, Chelle’s unbeaten competitive record continues — and once again, the Super Eagles have demonstrated their ability to fight back when the pressure is at its highest. Nigeria 2-1 Madagascar ⚽ Madagascar — 15' ⚽ George Ilenikhena — 45+1' ⚽ Moses Usor — 65' Three points. Two debut goals. One unbeaten competitive run that continues. The road to AFCON 2027 has begun.

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