Super Eagles Open 2027 AFCON Qualifying With 2-1 Win Over Madagascar

Before the match

Nigeria step into their Africa Cup of Nations 2027 qualifying campaign this matchday 1, hosting Madagascar’s Barea at home. Kickoff comes Friday 25 September 2026, 17:00 Lagos time. No dulling, this one matters from the first whistle, this be the opener for the whole qualifying series.

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The Super Eagles arrive on the back of a mixed run: 2 wins, 1 draw, 1 loss in their last 4 matches, a stretch that started Tuesday 26 May 2026. Dem lost their most recent outing before this one. That losing game came away to Portugal on Wednesday 10 June 2026, going down 2-1. Before that, Nigeria held Poland to a 2-2 draw away on Wednesday 3 June 2026, then put 3 past Jamaica in a 3-0 win away on Saturday 30 May 2026, and opened that stretch with a 2-0 home win over Zimbabwe on Tuesday 26 May 2026. All four of those matches were international friendlies, and the Super Eagles took 2 wins, 1 draw, 1 loss from that set specifically. At home in this stretch, Nigeria dey unbeaten with 1 win from 1 match; away, it reads 1 win, 1 draw, 1 loss from 3 matches. Attack no dey shy sef: 8 goals scored across the 4 matches against 4 conceded, clean sheets in 2 of those 4, both teams scoring in 2 of 4, and every single one of the 4 matches produced two goals or more, with 3 of the 4 going to three goals or more. Nigeria never failed to score in any of the four.

On Madagascar’s side, our data feed no get their recent form for this one. I no sabi how the Barea don dey shape up coming into this qualifier, so make we no pretend.

Our data feed carries only one meeting between the two sides, and that na a partial record, not the full history: on Sunday 30 June 2019, at the Africa Cup of Nations, the Barea won 2-0.

Omo, the opener na the game wey set the tone for the whole series. Super Eagles go need to find answers to what Portugal exposed back in June if this opener go go their way.

After the match

Nigeria opened their Africa Cup of Nations 2027 qualifying campaign the hard way, but it still ended a win for Super Eagles. The home side beat Madagascar 2-1 at the Godswill Akpabio International Stadium in Uyo on Friday 25 September 2026, on matchday one of the qualifiers. Job done, even if Barea no come to play mascot for the home crowd.

Madagascar struck first. Ehsan Kari put the visitors ahead in the 16th minute, and Uyo went quiet for a moment. Nigeria needed until first-half stoppage time to find a way back, when George Ilenikhena leveled it in the 45+1st minute. That left the half-time score at Nigeria 1 - 1 Madagascar. My people, that first half no dey easy at all, but the Eagles ended it level.

The response came after the break. Moses Usor put Nigeria in front in the 65th minute, and that goal stood as the winner. Full time: Nigeria 2 - 1 Madagascar.

A win for Super Eagles to start the qualifying campaign, but Kari’s goal show say Barea no come dey give respect for free. Three points from matchday one, and the campaign continues from here.