Eric Chelle Names Two Super Eagles Stars After Nigeria’s Victory Over Madagascar

Super Eagles head coach Eric Chelle has praised Moses Usor and Moses Simon for their contributions to Nigeria’s 2-1 comeback victory over Madagascar in their opening 2027 Africa Cup of Nations qualifier in Uyo on Friday.

Madagascar took an early lead through Kari Eshan before Nigeria responded shortly before halftime, with debutant George Ilenikhena finding the equaliser in the 45th minute.

Usor, who came on as a substitute, completed Nigeria’s comeback in the 65th minute with the winning goal on his international debut.

According to Bush Radio Academy, Chelle said Usor and Simon brought the energy and individual quality Nigeria needed to break through Madagascar’s defensive setup.

“They bring this energy, they bring this one-on-one,” Chelle said.

The coach explained that Nigeria needed players capable of taking on opponents individually and creating opportunities in difficult situations.

“You need sometimes something crazy on the field, some people who can bring one-on-one, one against two, one against three. They did well,” he added.

Chelle also explained his decision to replace Samuel Chukwueze with Usor, saying the AC Milan forward had begun to show signs of fatigue after a strong first-half performance.

“It was a tactical decision because, as you know, he finished the first half well,” the coach explained. “So I felt he was a little bit tired, and I wanted to bring some energy into the team.”

The substitution proved decisive as Usor went on to score the winning goal and help Nigeria begin their AFCON qualifying campaign with three points.

Meanwhile, Madagascar head coach Corentin Martins said his team deserved more from the encounter despite surrendering their early advantage.

“This defeat is hard to take for my players and me because we didn’t deserve to lose in the manner that we did. We had a chance of going 2-1 up but didn’t take it,” Martins said.

The French coach acknowledged Nigeria’s greater experience at international level and the exposure of several Super Eagles players to top European leagues.

“It’s a learning curve for me and my players, who are not at the level of the Nigerian players, who are used to playing big games because they play for top teams in the top leagues,” he added.

Nigeria will next travel to face Guinea-Bissau in their second AFCON 2027 qualifier on Tuesday, while Madagascar are scheduled to host Tanzania.