A brace from Victor Osimhen saw Nigeria’s Super Eagles got their Group C 2026 FIFA World Cup qualifiers back on track beating Rwanda 2-0 inside the Amahoro stadium in Kigali on Friday.
It was the Super Eagles first win of the qualifying campaign after drawing three and losing one of their last four matches.
For Osimhen it was his first appearance in the qualifiers after missing the previous fixtures due to injuries.
The Super Eagles have now moved up to fourth place on six points and four points off new leaders South Africa who beat Lesotho 2-0.
Benin Republic, who drew 2-2 with Zimbabwe on Thursday are second on eight points while Rwanda are third on seven points.
Up next for the Super Eagles is a home tie with Zimbabwe on Tuesday, March 25 in Uyo.
The Super Eagles had drawn all their three previous visits to Rwanda but made their early pressure count as Osimhen opened the scoring on 11 minutes as he slammed home Ademola Lookman’s set piece.
In the 12th minute a Rwanda player almost netted an own goal as his attempt to clear Osimhen’s cross went just over the bar.
William Troost-Ekong almost made it 2-0 on 16 minutes only to see his header from Lookman’s set piece go just wide of the post.
In the 25th minute Moses Simon was close to getting on the score sheet but his curler was tipped over the bar by Rwanda keeper Fiacre Ntwari.
With one minute left in the first half Rwanda win a corner but Stanley Nwabali came out to punch away to safety.
In the final minute of first half Osimhen made it 2-0 as he poked the ball off the feet of a Rwanda defender after a header by Samuel Chukwueze, raced towards goal and dinked the ball over the keeper.
Rwanda went close on 49 minutes but Nwabali claimed a header heading towards goal.
On 51 minutes Bright Osayi-Samuel drove inside the box but the keeper got down well to Palmer away for a corner kick.
In the 67th minute the Super Eagles made two changes as Chukwueze and Ola Aina went off for Raphael Onyedika and Bruno Onyemaechi.
Rwanda broke on the right in the 75th minute but Calvin Bassey made a timely clearance.
On 77 minutes Arokodare was introduced for Osimhen for his debut while Yusuf replaced Osayi-Samuel.
Rwanda thought they had pulled a goal back on 89 minutes but it was ruled out for offside.
1 Comment
Nigerians everywhere thank God for today’s match.. With Edo son Osi-goal and our super fantastic and patriotic Ade Lookman., no one in Africa can withstand Nigeria in Africa.
Thank you all. Bassey. Nigerians love you . Moses , you are always fantastic.
God loves you all.