George Ilenikhena celebrated his long-awaited senior international debut in fitting fashion — scoring to help the Super Eagles come from behind and defeat Madagascar 2-1 in their opening 2027 Africa Cup of Nations qualifier.

The 20-year-old striker entered the record books on Friday when he levelled the score late in the first half, cancelling out Kari Eshan's opener for the Barea. Moses Usor, introduced from the bench, then sealed Nigeria's comeback with the decisive goal 25 minutes from the final whistle.

After the final whistle, Ilenikhena took to X to share his feelings on the milestone moment, writing: "Proud to have made my debut with the national team. We keep working."

The result sends Nigeria off to a positive start in their AFCON 2027 qualifying campaign, with both debutants Ilenikhena and Usor contributing on the scoresheet in a hard-fought victory.