CAF recognised George Ilenikhena after the Al-Ittihad forward made his first appearance for Nigeria’s national teamEric Chelle handed Ilenikhena his debut start as Victor Osimhen pulled out of the squad due to a groin injuryAnother debutant also got on the scoresheet in the second half to complete Nigeria’s comeback winPAY ATTENTION: Mark Legit.ng as a preferred source, and our content will appear higher in your Google feed!The Confederation of African Football (CAF) has praised George Ilenikhena following his standout debut for the Super Eagles in Nigeria’s 2027 Africa Cup of Nations qualifying opener against Madagascar.Coach Eric Chelle handed the 20-year-old Al-Ittihad forward a starting role after Victor Osimhen withdrew from the squad, unable to recover in time from a groin injury.George Ilenikhena celebrates after scoring for Nigeria. Photo from @LeaguesReporter. Source: TwitterAs noted by NFF, Ilenikhena repaid that trust in the 45th minute, converting a left-footed shot past the Malagasy goalkeeper following an assist from Alex Iwobi. The goal came on the stroke of half-time and put Nigeria level heading into the break.Another player making his international bow, Moses Usor, added a second goal in the second half to seal the win for Nigeria and give Chelle’s side a winning start to their qualifying campaign.PAY ATTENTION: From breaking news to viral moments.
Follow Legit.ng on Instagram!CAF praises IlenikhenaCAF took to its official X page to applaud Ilenikhena for his performance, recognising the Saudi-based forward’s impressive first outing in the green-and-white.With the opening match behind them, Nigeria’s attention now turns to their second qualifying fixture, where they travel to face Guinea-Bissau.Chelle will hope Ilenikhena carries his scoring form into that encounter as the Super Eagles look to build on their positive start.Ilenikhena on CAF’s spotlightLegit.ng previously reported that CAF named George Ilenikhena as one of the 10 African youngsters to watch out for during the AFCON qualifiers.The young forward has been in impressive goalscoring form since his days in European football before sealing a lucrative move to Al-Ittihad. Source: Legit.ng Elijah Odetokun (Sports Editor) Elijah Odetokun is a Nigerian sports editor at Legit.ng. He has six years of working experience and holds a Bachelor of Agriculture from the Federal University of Agriculture, Abeokuta, and a Diploma in Freelance and Sports Writing from the London School of Journalism. He has covered major Super Eagles games, including FIFA World Cup qualifiers.
Email: elijah.odetokun@corp.legit.ng. Super EaglesAFCON Uae Zimbabwe Theodore barrett Lynette nusbacher Regina hall
