Super Eagles head coach, Éric Chelle, has praised his players for showing strong character in their victory over the Barea of Madagascar.
Nigeria rallied to beat Corentin Martins’ side 2-1 in their 2027 Africa Cup of Nations qualifying Matchday 1 encounter at the Godswill Akpabio International Stadium, Uyo, on Friday night.
Kari Eshan stunned the home fans by nodding home a cross from the left in the 16th minute.
Al-Ittihad striker George Ilenikhena, who was making his maiden appearance for the Super Eagles, equalised on the stroke of half-time following a superb pass from Alex Iwobi.
Moses Usor sealed victory for the Super Eagles in the 65th minute, dribbling past two defenders before firing home.
Chelle said it was important for his team to start the qualifiers on a winning note.
“We made a mistake and conceded. After that, we had chances to score, but we were too anxious and couldn’t convert them,” Chelle said during his post-match interaction with the media.
“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.”
The Super Eagles will now shift their attention to next Tuesday’s encounter against the Djurtus of Guinea-Bissau.