Nigeria beats Madagascar 2-1 in AFCON 2027 qualifier opener

Nigeria secured a 2-1 home victory over Madagascar in their opening 2027 Africa Cup of Nations qualifier on Friday, overcoming early pressure at the Godswill Akpabio International Stadium in Uyo. The visitors took the lead in the 16th minute when centre-back Ehsan Kari headed in from a well-executed short corner routine, but Nigeria equalized through debutant George Ilenikhena in first-half injury time after receiving a through ball from Alex Iwobi. Second-half substitute Moses Usor, making his international debut, secured the win with a solo effort midway through the second half, cutting inside from the right wing and firing a low left-footed shot past the goalkeeper.

The victory was particularly significant given the stakes of Group L qualifying. With Tanzania already assured of a place as a co-host nation alongside Kenya and Uganda, only the highest-placed team other than Tanzania will advance from the group. This means Nigeria, Madagascar, and Guinea-Bissau are effectively competing for a single qualification spot, leaving minimal margin for error. Nigeria's absence of injured striker Victor Osimhen—who withdrew due to a muscle strain sustained playing for Galatasaray—added to the challenge, though coach Eric Chelle had reinforced the attacking line with late additions including Coventry City's Taiwo Awoniyi and debutant Ilenikhena.

The result came at a critical time for Nigerian football, which has faced significant recent setbacks including failure to qualify for the 2026 FIFA World Cup and disappointment at the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations. Captain Wilfred Ndidi emphasized before the match the importance of a strong start to avoid repeating the slow beginning that hampered Nigeria's World Cup qualifying campaign. The last meeting between the nations occurred at the 2019 Africa Cup of Nations, when Madagascar inflicted a 2-0 group-stage defeat on Nigeria, an outcome that contributed to the Super Eagles finishing second in their group and facing a more difficult knockout path.

Nigeria will travel to Guinea-Bissau on Tuesday for their second Group L fixture, while other opening-round results saw Senegal draw 1-1 away against Mozambique in Patrick Vieira's debut as coach, and Sudan defeat Ethiopia 1-0 in the same group. Ivory Coast beat Ghana 2-0, Cameroon defeated Comoros 3-1, and DR Congo won 2-0 against Equatorial Guinea in their respective qualifying matches.