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End of the game:
Key moments
With ten minutes remaining, the Madagascar coach continues to look for tactical adjustments to regain the initiative in the attacking third. After the first half, they have lost momentum in this second period due to their opponent's intensity.
The Super Eagles are moving the ball around Madagascar's penalty area in search of a third goal. Good passing combinations. Nigeria has managed to keep their opponents as far away from their own goal as possible. They aren't under any pressure at the moment.
The goals were on the substances bench. Newly entered widens the scoreboard. Goal!, Goal!, Goal of Nigeria. Moses Usor.
Substitution for Nigeria. Moses Usor and Moses Simon replace Samuel Chukwueze and Akor Adams. The home side pushes its lines forward, determined to find a winning goal at all costs. The coach decides to take a risk and go on the attack.
The Super Eagles launch an attack of their own: Akor Adams finds himself in a scoring position but rushes the finish and sends the ball wide. He could easily have scored in two consecutive matches. Madagascar survived!
Calvin Bassey loses possession in midfield, allowing Raveloson to drive towards goal after receiving a superb pass. However, instead of shooting first-time, he opts to try and dribble past Nwabali; the goalkeeper stands firm and snatches the ball from the Malagasy player's feet.
Halftime:
George Ilenikhena! Goal!, Goal for Nigeria. With the final play of the first half, the home side found the equalizer. Honestly, it was more than deserved that they managed to score before heading into the break.
The Super Eagles win a corner kick on the left flank of their attack. They play it short to Samuel Chukwueze, whose cross is wayward and ends up in the goalkeeper's hands. On the next play, Samuel Chukwueze attempts to dribble into the box but finds himself surrounded by opponents and loses possession.
Yellow Card For Madagascar: Goerdan Dupire gets booked for time wasting. Alex Iwobi put the ball in the net, but it is ruled out because the referee ruled for an earlier infringement on the goalkeeper.
Alex Iwobi found space in front of the Madagascar penalty area, on the left side of the Nigerian attack. He sent a dangerous cross into the box to find Wilfred Ndidi, who was unmarked. But the Beşiktaş player headed the ball over the crossbar! So close for Nigeria.
The Malagasy are growing in confidence. They are now showing agility on the ball and attempting to break through the Nigerian defensive line with clever counter-attacking plays, though without significant success so far. The home side is struggling to find a way to equalize.
Ehsan Kari! Goal!, Goal!, Goal!, Goal of Madagascar.
The resulting corner kick was played short, followed by a cross into the box. Ehsan Kari headed the ball home completely unmarked, beating Stanley Nwabali, who was helpless to stop it. The Nigerian defenders are claiming offside, but the referee waves play on.Madagascar is defending with a back five. Chukwueze and Akor Adams have touched the ball inside the opposition box, but the attacks lack coordination, and the Malagasy side always manages to clear them away.
The Super Eagles have dominated the opening stages. George Ilenikhena had an unsuccessful attempt earlier on. Madagascar started rather sluggishly and have failed to find their expected rhythm in the opening minutes.
The game started:
Victor Osimhen 🇳🇬 is the primary attacking figurehead and one of the most influential players in the recent history of Nigeria's senior national team. After bursting onto the international stage by winning the 2015 U-17 World Cup—where he also claimed the Golden Boot with a record 10 goals—he made his senior debut in June 2017, quickly establishing himself as the starting center-forward and the second-highest all-time goalscorer for the "Super Eagles." His physical power, speed, and scoring prowess propelled Nigeria to the 2023 Africa Cup of Nations final and earned him the 2023 African Footballer of the Year award, cementing his status as the cornerstone of the Nigerian attack.
The footballing history between Nigeria 🇳🇬 and Madagascar 🇲🇬 comprises five official encounters in which the balance clearly tips in favor of the "Super Eagles," although "Barea" authored the most stunning chapter. During the qualifiers for the 2002 and 2012 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON), the Nigerian side asserted its technical and physical superiority, racking up three victories—highlighted by 2–0 and 3–0 wins—and a goalless draw. However, the most momentous clash took place during the group stage of AFCON 2019 in Egypt, where tournament debutants Madagascar defied all odds to defeat the three-time African champions 2–0, with goals from Lalaina Nomenjanahary and Carolus Andriamatsinoro—a historic feat that saw the Malagasy team advance to the Round of 16 as group winners.
Madagascar's 🇲🇬 track record in the Africa Cup of Nations is modest yet left an indelible mark, as the team has qualified for the tournament finals only once—during the 2019 edition in Egypt. In that debut appearance, the "Barea" delivered a memorable and historic performance: they surprisingly topped Group B undefeated, drawing 2–2 with Guinea and defeating both Burundi (1–0) and continental powerhouse Nigeria (2–0). In the Round of 16, they eliminated the Democratic Republic of the Congo on penalties (4–2, following a 2–2 draw in regulation time), advancing to the quarter-finals—an unprecedented achievement—where they fell 3–0 to Tunisia. Since that feat, the Malagasy squad has failed to qualify for subsequent editions of the tournament.
The Nigeria national football team 🇳🇬 has won the Africa Cup of Nations three times in its history. The "Super Eagles" lifted their first continental title in 1980 as hosts, defeating Algeria 3–0 in the final; they subsequently claimed their second trophy in the 1994 edition in Tunisia by beating Zambia 2–1, and triumphed for a third time in 2013 in South Africa, overcoming Burkina Faso 1–0 in the decisive match. In addition to their three titles, the Nigerian team boasts an extensive record of reaching the tournament's final stages, having also finished as runners-up five times (1984, 1988, 1990, 2000, and 2023) and secured third place on eight occasions.
The format for the Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) qualifiers consists of two main stages: a knockout phase and a group stage.
- Preliminary Round: The confederation's (CAF) lowest-ranked national teams compete in a two-legged, knockout-style tie. The winners of these matchups advance to complete the main field of 48 teams.
- Group Stage: The 48 participating teams are drawn into 12 groups of four teams each (Groups A through L).
- Competition Format: Each group plays a double round-robin format (six matchdays in total).
- Qualification for the Final Tournament:
- Standard Groups: The top two teams in each group (winner and runner-up) qualify directly for the tournament's final stage.
- Host Country's Group: The host nation participates in the qualifiers within one of the groups to remain in official competition. From this group, the host qualifies alongside the highest-ranked team in the standings (excluding the host's own position).
- In total, 24 national teams qualify for the final stage of the Africa Cup of Nations through this system.
During 2026, the Madagascar senior national football team 🇲🇬 played three international friendly matches, recording one win, one draw, and one loss. The Malagasy squad's campaign began with a resounding 5–2 away victory over Kyrgyzstan 🇰🇬 on March 28, followed three days later by a 1–1 draw against Equatorial Guinea 🇬🇶 on March 31. Their most recent match of the year ended in a heavy 4–0 defeat to Morocco 🇲🇦 on June 2, resulting in a total record of 6 goals scored and 7 conceded so far this year.
The head-to-head record between Madagascar 🇲🇬 and Nigeria 🇳🇬 in international football is limited but memorable, comprising five official matches to date. The Nigerian "Super Eagles" have historically dominated most of these encounters—securing victories such as 2–0 and 3–0 wins during the 2012 Africa Cup of Nations qualifiers—yet the most significant chapter of the rivalry was written by the Malagasy side. During the group stage of the 2019 Africa Cup of Nations—their historic debut in the continental tournament—Madagascar pulled off one of the competition's greatest upsets by defeating three-time champions Nigeria 2–0, with goals from Lalaina Nomenjanahary and Carolus Andriamatsinoro; this result enabled them to advance to the Round of 16 as the surprise winners of their group.
The Madagascar national football team begins its qualifying campaign for the 2027 Africa Cup of Nations in Group L, alongside Nigeria, Guinea-Bissau, and Tanzania. The group stage kicks off during the September 2026 international window; the Malagasy squad makes its debut with an away match against Nigeria on Friday, September 25, at the Godswill Akpabio Stadium, followed by a home game against Tanzania on Tuesday, September 29, for the second matchday. The schedule continues between November 9 and 17, 2026, with fixtures for matchdays 3 and 4, while the qualifying phase concludes between March 22 and 30, 2027, with the final two rounds. Since Tanzania has already qualified automatically as a co-host, Madagascar must finish ahead of Nigeria and Guinea-Bissau to secure the group's only available direct qualifying spot.
The Nigerian national football team will compete in the 2027 Africa Cup of Nations qualifiers in Group L, alongside Madagascar, Guinea-Bissau, and Tanzania. The Super Eagles' campaign begins on September 25, 2026, with a home match against Madagascar, followed quickly by an away game against Guinea-Bissau on September 29. Group action resumes during the November 2026 FIFA international window with a crucial double-header against Tanzania, before the group stage concludes between March 22 and 30, 2027, featuring a return match away at Madagascar and a final home game against Guinea-Bissau.
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After three minutes of stoppage time were added, they prevailed 2–1. It was a grueling match for Nigeria, but they managed to pull off the win against Madagascar. It is evident that the 'Super Eagles' are undergoing a generational transition.