Madagascar Coach Explains 2-1 Loss to Nigeria in AFCON Qualifiers

In the opening match of the 2027 Africa Cup of Nations qualifiers, Madagascar lost 2-1 to Nigeria. Madagascar's head coach, Corentin Martins, noted that his team initially took the lead with a goal from Kari Eshan.

However, Nigeria responded with two goals from debutants George Ilenikhena and Moses Usor, securing the victory in Uyo. In a post-match interview, Martins acknowledged that his players experienced fatigue during the second half, despite performing well in the first half.

He stated, “We played a game with Nigeria with good players. We also want to be tactical,” emphasizing that while they were effective with the ball initially, they struggled to maintain consistency as the match progressed.