Two debutants, two goals, one dramatic comeback; and suddenly Eric Chelle has more attacking options to think about.
Nigeria’s 2-1 victory over Madagascar in their opening 2027 Africa Cup of Nations qualifier at the Godswill Akpabio Stadium in Uyo was far more revealing than the scoreline suggested.
Nigeria were made to sweat for the three points. Alex Iwobi thought he had levelled the contest, only for his effort to be ruled out after Akor Adams was penalised for a foul on the goalkeeper. The pressure continued to build before Ilenikhena struck just before half-time to restore belief inside a tense Uyo stadium.
The second half brought another twist, as Stanley Nwabali produced a crucial one-on-one save seven minutes after the restart before Chelle turned to his bench. Moses Simon came on for his 100th Nigeria appearance, while Usor entered for his senior debut.
The LASK forward needed just four minutes to announce himself.
After Oluwasemilogo Ajayi cleared a Madagascar corner, Usor collected the ball inside his own half, powered away from two defenders and smashed a left-footed finish into the near post to complete Nigeria’s comeback.
Tolu Arokodare later struck .. in the 74th minute, while Nigeria had to withstand late pressure before finally securing the points.
For Chelle, the victory was more than three points. It offered a first glimpse of what Nigeria can become with new faces stepping forward, established players answering questions and a squad beginning to discover different ways to win.
PREMIUM TIMES looks at six major takeaways from Nigeria’s comeback victory
There was more than just a goal behind Ilenikhena’s equaliser.
Born in Lagos and raised in France from the age of three, the striker was eligible to represent both countries and spent months considering his international future before ultimately committing himself to Nigeria.
Chelle rewarded that decision with a senior call-up, and Ilenikhena wasted little time repaying the faith.
His first Super Eagles appearance ended with his first Nigeria goal, arriving at perhaps the most important moment of the night; seconds before half-time, when Madagascar appeared set to take their shock advantage into the dressing room.
His European pedigree had already provided plenty of evidence of his potential.
Ilenikhena made 51 appearances and scored 10 goals during his two seasons with Monaco, including a memorable Champions League winner against Barcelona.
Now, he has his first senior international goal to add to the collection.
Calvin Bassey looked every inch the defender Nigeria needed when Madagascar tested the Super Eagles.
The Fulham centre-back was composed in possession, aggressive in duels and difficult to beat as the visitors repeatedly looked for opportunities to exploit Nigeria.
His performance was built less on spectacular tackles and more on positioning, anticipation and control.
Against a Madagascar side willing to absorb pressure and attack on the counter, Bassey consistently showed the authority to deal with danger before it became a bigger problem.
His Uyo performance further underlined why he has become such an important figure in the Super Eagles’ defensive structure.
Nwabali answers the repeated questions surrounding Nigeria’s No.1 spot
Stanley Nwabali entered the qualifier with questions surrounding his club situation, but there was little sign of rust when Nigeria needed him most.
The goalkeeper left Chippa United in February after requesting his release and subsequently spent months without a club before returning to the South African side in July.
Against Madagascar, however, the goalkeeper looked ever ready. Seven minutes into the second half, Nwabali stood tall in a one-on-one situation and denied the visitors what could have been a potentially devastating second goal.
That intervention proved crucial as Nigeria went on to complete their comeback.
Maduka Okoye has also featured for Nigeria this year, starting against Iran, Poland and Portugal, although the Udinese goalkeeper arrived late to camp this time around because of club commitments.
Okoye eventually arrived on Friday, but Nwabali’s latest performance has strengthened his claim to the starting shirt.
For the Super Eagles, having two goalkeepers capable of competing for the position can only increase the pressure for consistency.
