Super Eagles head coach Eric Chelle has praised goalkeeper Stanley Nwabali for his crucial save in Nigeria’s 2-1 comeback victory over Madagascar in Friday’s AFCON qualifier.

 Nwabali produced a vital stop early in the second half to deny Madagascar captain Rayan Raveloson in a one-on-one situation, keeping Nigeria in the game after the visitors had created a clear scoring opportunity.

 The save proved important as Nigeria went on to complete the comeback, with debutant Moses Usor scoring the winning goal with an impressive solo effort just minutes after coming off the bench.

 Speaking after the match, Chelle singled out Nwabali for his contribution while acknowledging the difficulty Nigeria faced against a Madagascar side that defended deep.

 “Nwabali did well because they had a chance to score a goal but Nwabali at this moment practically was very good,” Chelle said during his post-match press conference.

 The coach admitted that Nigeria struggled to break down Madagascar’s defensive setup but was pleased with the team’s determination to fight back.

 “After that we continue to forward but it was not easy because they put the bus in front of the post. At the end, I am happy because we have a second game in few days and we have continue improving in our game project.”

 Chelle described Nigeria’s overall performance as neither good nor bad, pointing to an early mistake as the reason for the conceded goal.

 “Not bad but not good too. We made the first mistake, that's why we took a goal,” he said. “After, we had a lot of chances to score a goal but we were technically not very good.”

 The French-born Malian coach also expressed his delight at having Victor Osimhen with the squad, saying the striker’s presence reflected the group’s desire to move forward and build something new.

 “This is why we went after the score to be able to comeback to the score but at the end the state of mind was good. They gave everything for the country and I was very happy because Victor was here.”

 Chelle further praised the players’ mentality and said Nigeria’s dominance after the interval justified their eventual victory.

 “So, it means that this group try to go forward and bring something new. So, I am very happy with the state of mind,” he added.

 Reflecting on the second-half performance, Chelle said Nigeria deserved its dominance and believed the team could have scored even more goals.

 “So, in the second half we lead and it is normal because at the end, if there is five or six goals, there is nothing to say,” he concluded.

 With the Madagascar test now behind them, Chelle and the Super Eagles will turn their attention to their next encounter against Guinea-Bissau.