Eric Chelle Praises Two Super Eagles Players After Nigeria’s Win Over Madagascar

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

Madagascar took an early lead through Kari Eshan, but Nigeria responded through debutant George Ilenikhena, who equalised in the 45th minute. Usor then completed the comeback in the 65th minute after coming on as a substitute.

Chelle said Usor and Simon provided the energy and individual quality Nigeria needed to break down Madagascar’s defence.

“They [Usor and Simon] bring this energy, they bring this one-on-one,” Chelle said.

“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.”

The Super Eagles coach also explained his decision to substitute Samuel Chukwueze for Usor, saying the AC Milan forward had begun to show signs of fatigue.

“It was a tactical decision because, as you know, he finished the first half well,” the coach said.

“So I felt he was a little bit tired, and I wanted to bring some energy into the team.”

Usor went on to make a decisive impact, scoring the winning goal on his Nigeria debut.

Madagascar coach Corentin Martins, meanwhile, said his team deserved more from the match despite conceding twice.

“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 Frenchman also acknowledged Nigeria’s greater experience at international and club level, saying the defeat would provide a learning opportunity for his players.

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