Super Eagles head coach Eric Chelle praised his side’s mentality after Nigeria recovered from an early setback to beat Madagascar 2-1 in their opening 2027 Africa Cup of Nations qualifying match.
The Barea took the lead in the 16th minute at the Godswill Akpabio International Stadium in Uyo on Friday night, when Kari Eshan headed in a cross from the left.
Nigeria equalised shortly before half-time through George Ilenikhena, who marked his Super Eagles debut by converting after a superb pass from Alex Iwobi.
Moses Usor completed the comeback in the 65th minute, beating two defenders with an excellent dribble before finding the net.
Chelle said his players remained committed despite conceding first and failing to take several opportunities.
“We made a mistake and conceded. After that, we had chances to score, but we were too anxious and couldn’t convert them,” he said during his post-match media interaction.
“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 manager acknowledged that Madagascar’s defensive approach created problems, particularly after the visitors adopted a low block.
He also highlighted a crucial intervention from goalkeeper Stanley Nwabali, who made an important save in a one-on-one situation.
“Madagascar parked the box, which made things difficult for us. In the second half, we could have scored more goals,” Chelle said.
“It could have been five or six goals in our favour. We started with the diamond, but we changed our shape after the break because of the low block.
“Like I said, it was not bad. Overall, I’m happy with the outcome of the game and the desire shown by the players.”
Ilenikhena and Usor both made an immediate impression on debut, while Chelle credited the established members of the squad with helping the newcomers settle.
“I think the old players deserve commendation for helping the new players feel comfortable,” he added.
“They always take the new players like younger brothers, which is good for the team. My job is to discover new players and bring them in. They have done well by helping them settle down properly.”
Nigeria’s next fixture is against Guinea-Bissau on Tuesday. The Djurtus also began their qualifying campaign with a victory, beating Tanzania 2-0 on Friday.
Chelle expects another difficult match but declined to reveal whether he would retain the same formation or adopt a different tactical plan.
“The focus is now on the next game against Guinea-Bissau. They have their strengths and weaknesses as well,” he said.
“I won’t disclose how we are going to approach the game, whether it will be the formation we used against Madagascar or whether it will be different tactics.”