The Super Eagles defeated Rwanda 2-0 in a 2026 FIFA World Cup qualifying matchday five encounter at the Amahoro Stadium, Kigali on Friday night. Completesports.com’s ADEBOYE AMOSU appraises the performance of the players in the game.
Stanley Nwabali 6/10
Largely untested for majority of the game. His ball distribution was impressive in the encounter.
Bright Osayi-Samuel 7/10
A solid display from the Fenerbahce defender. He was replaced in the second half after sustaining an injury.
William Troost-Ekong 7/10
Led the defence with dexterity. The experienced centre-back put up a superb display in the game.
Calvin Bassey 7/10
Formed a solid partnership with William Troost-Ekong at the heart of the defensive. A solid display from the Fulham defender.
Ola Aina 7/10
Moved to left-back by the new gaffer. Showed his versatility with a good display. He was replaced by Bruno Onyemaechi in the 67th minute.
Wilfred Ndidi 7/10
Showed his experience in the middle of the park. He protected the defence and also supported the attack.
Alex Iwobi 61/0
Not really a good showing from the versatile Fulham midfielder. He was booked late in the game.
Moses Simon 61/0
The Nantes winger started the game brightly but fizzled out afterwards. He was denied by Rwanda goalkeeper Fabrize Ntwari in the first half.
Samuel Chukwueze 51/0
He contributed little in the game. The AC Milan star was replaced by Raphael Onyedika in the 67th minute.
Ademola Lookman 7/10
Set up Victor Osimhen for the opening game. A good performance from the Atalanta winger.
Victor Osimhen 9/10
Grabbed a brace in the game. He was a thorn in the flesh of the home team’s defenders.
Substitutes
Bruno Onyemaechi 4/10
The Olympiacos defender took the place of Ola Aina on 67 minutes. Kept the opposition at bay following his introduction.
Raphael Onyedika 4/10
Combined well with Wilfred Ndidi and Alex Iwobi after replacing Samuel Chukwueze.
Tolu Arokodare 4/10
An impressive cameo from the Club Brugge forward.
Alhassan Yusuf 4/10
Slotted well into the right -back position after replacing the injured Bright Osayi-Samuel.
13 Comments
An improved performance lets do it again on Tuesday hopefully south Africa and benin will cancel out each other
Eric chelle for me made a good impression witn the way the Eagles played. For a long time . Tney haven’t played that way?
For a very long time the Eagles haven’t asserted their self in a game that way
Hahahaha. I just finished seeing the highlights of the SA Vs Lesotho game. Lesotho, are no doubt, playing out a script. They were in sixes and sevens. It was like they had no training and were woken up from sleep to go straight to the stadium. They threw that match.
The same Lesotho that looked organized when they came to Nigeria now made SA’s average players look like 6 Messis and 5 Ronaldos on the field.
Anyway, it’s a good thing, though, as it gives those SA players a false sense of quality, which will be their undoing against Benin on Tuesday.
On the contrary, Lesotho put up a brave fight, the reason both teams went into the break goalless. But like every team that is serious about qualifying for the WC after last qualifying 23 years ago, South Africa upped their game and its pace at the start of the 2nd half and got 2 goals before Lesotho could settle into their organized rhythm.
The fact that we drew at home to Lesotho does not mean every other team will also throw away an opportunity to beat a team like Lesotho on their home soil. Or was Zimbabwe also playing a script when they came from 2 goals to hold Benin simply because they also held us to a draw too…?
The SAns really do have plenty of quality with their fast-paced game. They showed that when they came to Uyo and got a draw…..and by the way, they’ve not lost a game since losing to Mali at the last AFCON [a 12-game unbeaten streak]. They are currently topping our WCQ group with a 4-point lead and we should better dedicate the whole of Sunday to praying that Rohr helps us trip them on Tuesday in Abidjan.
Even with a new coach, I wouldn’t stick out my neck that we will win outrightly in Johannesburg when we get to play SA in September….and I pray we won’t be chasing as much as 4 points when that time comes….the more reason why we need Benin to do the unthinkable in 4 days from now.
After this window, all remaining 4 matches SA will play (home or away) will be played right there in South Africa….that’s something more to worry about.
On first viewing, Eric Chelle’s methods raises more questions rather than providing clarity.
Okay Osihmen scored both goals but who is the heartbeat of this Super Eagles outfit?
The formation meanders between subverting and then realigning expectations: Is it 2 upfront or is Osihmen a lone wolf? Who is the left winger, Simon or Iwobi? Was Lookman a support striker or centre midfielder? Did Ndidi really play as the lone defensive midfielder or did Iwobi drop in to support? Moses Simon and Chukwueze, have they all of a sudden forgotten how to take on fullbacks, dash to the byline and cross?
The more I looked, the less I saw what the central plot was.
That individuality that has been the hallmark of the Super Eagles made way for a more cohesive approach in which players sacrificed and suppressed their primordial instincts for the greater good.
It’s easy to overlook the monumental accomplishment of today’s victory on the account of how ordinary the victory appeared to have been achieved.
But it was no accident. It was by design.
Wingers who seemed lost all night (Lookman and Chukwueze) supplied the assist for a mega star centre forward who had crashed his shoulder on the ground barely after the whistle was blown without contact.
The match was surreal. Like a slow moving train which would deceptively make it to the final destination ahead of time.
Where did Ndidi get his composure from? Why was Chukwueze calm? Arokodare, what gave him the right to come in a plug into this dreamlike tactical approach as if he had been with this team for 5 years?
It’s all odd.
In their own backyard, the Super Eagles suppressed Rwanda to submission, barely allowing the hosts to get into a rhythm.
I will try to watch the match again to gain greater clarity on what I witnessed.
For now, I think it was a masterclass in deception, focus and concentration. You were not sure what to expect and when the team created 2 good chances, Osihmen sang for his supper in the most merciless of ways.
If the boys continue this way, the best of Chelle’s Super Eagles is yet to come.
Rwanda 0:2 Nigeria.
Same team , same players , same fans , same opponent, same NFF , same Nigeria but new coach , new mentality and new determination by our boys
I concur with your submission
Eric “OMO MALI” Chelle, you have started well. Very, very well.
It’s still early days, but as our people say, na for morning we dey know how the day go be. The future is looking promising, if we can just continue like this.
I think we looked really solid today. And the all important tactical input made the difference. A case in point was the way Chelle used Chukwueze. That’s the best way to use the lad, in my opinion. Look at Ndidi that some here were saying is finished just a couple of days ago. They even blamed Leicester’s relegation that hasn’t happened yet on Ndidi. Based on Ndidi’s performance today, if this is what it means to be finished, me too I want to be finished. And I pray that everyone in this forum is also finished. Being finished must be a very good thing!
See as Iwobi dey tap soccer. Chai, nwa nne. Abeg, let’s appreciate these lads sometimes. Yes, they do disappoint us many times, but it’s not because they’re not good. And now with this new coach, we finally have a coach who seems to have a clue how to use these players and get the best out of them. See Yusuf at right back? Our coaches before Omo Mali, why did none of them think to try Yusuf in this position? And the use of Lookman “in the hole”, just behind Osimhen, was absolutely spot on. I always thought he was wasted and isolated on the flanks in previous games. Today, I think we saw him at his marauding best. Credit to Chelle for taking a good look at these players, and at least attempting to use them optimally. With more time working with these lads, hopefully, the good we saw today will become even better.
My big fear now is that NFF ONIGBESE should not ruin this for us with nonpayment of salaries!
Unlike some coaches that don’t know when their opponent has switched to a back five, this coach seems to have that tactical nous that we’ve been lacking. Of course, we won’t always have wins. But if we keep playing like we did today, the future looks good for our football.
Big game, Big victory, up super eagles, our next game will bring more flair and cohesion, osihmen is a great eagle.
Congratulations to eagles and chelle,
However 442 is not good for the eagles going forward, we need three man in the middle against Zimbabwe, onyedika should join Ndidi and Iwobi, going further we need bashiru and onyeka back to this team.
Tolu is not good, he is another waiting disaster like Sadiq, moffi and onuachu,
Dessers and orban are the only hope after osihmen,
Aina can’t give his best from the left wing, I even prefer osayi going to the left than aina, aina should retain his right back, well onyeamechi should take his left back place he is good enough.
Nwabali is becoming too comfortable with his unnecessary oversabi, though he is still my antibaliatic, he have to use his head otherwise obasogie will take that chance.
Chelle have shown class today, I hope he continues
Thank you Collins. Great analysis. Thank you Pompeii too.
l love the ways the boys played the match today. It really demonstrated that all those Nigeria-made coaches were our own doings. The Nigeria-made coaches would take bribe under the table to play Boniface or Desser or even bring in one school-boy player to the team to ensure we draw the match or loose to them away.
The coach is very good, and he knows what he is doing. l am looking forward to Tuesday match.