Nigeria’s Super Eagles will be aiming to revive their faltering 2026 FIFA World Cup qualifying campaign when they face Rwanda and South Africa in Group C, on matchdays seven and eight respectively.
These will be the return-leg fixtures against Rwanda and group leaders South Africa.
In the first-leg encounters, the Super Eagles secured a 2-0 win over Rwanda in Kigali before being held to a 1-1 draw by South Africa in Uyo.
As Nigerians look forward to positive outcomes in both matches, Completesports.com’s JAMES AGBEREBI recalls how the Super Eagles have fared in seven previous second-leg clashes with Rwanda and South Africa in different tournament qualifiers.
Second-Leg Clashes With Rwanda In Qualifiers
Rwanda 1-1 Nigeria (2006 FIFA World Cup Qualifiers)
Nigeria’s first-ever meeting with Rwanda came in the group stage of the 2006 FIFA World Cup qualifiers.
Alongside Rwanda, the Super Eagles were grouped with Algeria, Gabon, Angola and Zimbabwe.
The first leg, played in June 2004 at the MKO Abiola Stadium, Abuja, ended 2-0 in favour of Nigeria, courtesy of a brace from Obafemi Martins.
However, the return leg in Kigali in June 2005 finished 1-1, Martins grabbing the equaliser in the 78th minute after Jimmy Gatete had put Rwanda ahead in the 53rd minute.
Nigeria eventually missed out on qualification as Angola advanced to the World Cup on a superior head-to-head record.
Nigeria 2-0 Rwanda (2013 AFCON Qualifiers)
The first round of the 2013 Africa Cup of Nations qualifiers pitched Nigeria against Rwanda.
In the first leg in Kigali, the Super Eagles, under the late Stephen Keshi, were forced to a goalless draw.
The second leg, held at the U.J. Esuene Stadium in Calabar, saw Nigeria triumph 2-0, with Ikechukwu Uche opening the scoring in the ninth minute before Ahmed Musa sealed victory in the 56th minute.
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The Super Eagles then defeated Liberia 8-3 on aggregate in the final qualifying round and went on to lift their third AFCON title in South Africa, beating Burkina Faso 1-0 in the final.
Nigeria 1-2 Rwanda (2025 AFCON Qualifiers)
Both teams were drawn in the same group for the 2025 AFCON qualifiers.
The first leg in Kigali, played in September 2024, ended goalless.
In the return fixture at the Godswill Akpabio International Stadium, Uyo, Rwanda stunned the hosts by coming from behind to win 2-1.
Samuel Chukwueze had given Nigeria the lead in the 59th minute, but quick goals from Ange Mutsinzi and Innocent Nshuti (72nd and 75th minutes) secured a shock win for Rwanda.
Despite the result, Rwanda failed to qualify, while Nigeria and Benin Republic booked their places at the 2025 AFCON.
Second-Leg Clashes With South Africa In Qualifiers
South Africa 0-0 Nigeria (1994 FIFA World Cup Qualifiers)
The Super Eagles were grouped with South Africa and Congo Brazzaville in the first round of the 1994 FIFA World Cup qualifiers.
In their first-ever clash, played at the National Stadium, Lagos, in October 1992, Clemens Westerhof’s side thrashed South Africa 4-0 with goals from the late Rashidi Yekini (brace), Samson Siasia and Richard Owobokiri.
The second leg in Johannesburg in January 1993 ended goalless. Yekini had a legitimate goal wrongly disallowed in the first half after intercepting a back pass.
Nigeria eventually topped the group and progressed to the final round, where they qualified for their first-ever senior FIFA World Cup.
South Africa 0-1 Nigeria (2010 FIFA World Cup Qualifiers)
Despite being 2010 FIFA World Cup hosts, South Africa still took part in the qualifiers and were grouped with Nigeria, Sierra Leone and Equatorial Guinea.
On matchday one in June 2008, Nigeria defeated South Africa 2-0 in Abuja with goals from Ikechukwu Uche and Obinna Nwaneri.
The second leg in Port Elizabeth ended 1-0 in favour of the Super Eagles, Uche scoring the decisive goal in the 69th minute.
Nigeria later qualified for the 2010 World Cup after topping a final-round group that included Tunisia, Kenya and Mozambique.
Nigeria 2-2 South Africa (2015 AFCON Qualifiers)
Nigeria needed a win in their final group game to qualify for the 2015 AFCON.
Earlier, the first leg in Cape Town had ended goalless.
In the return leg in Uyo, South Africa — already qualified — stunned the Super Eagles by going 2-0 up through a Tokelo Rantie brace (42nd and 48th minutes).
Sone Aluko struck twice (68th and 94th minutes) to salvage a 2-2 draw, but it was not enough as Nigeria failed to qualify, finishing third in the group behind South Africa and Congo Brazzaville.
South Africa 1-1 Nigeria (2019 AFCON Qualifiers)
In June 2017, South Africa shocked Nigeria with a 2-0 win in Uyo — their first-ever competitive victory against the Super Eagles. Tokelo Rantie and Percy Tau got the goals.
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The return leg in Johannesburg in November 2018 ended 1-1, enough to secure Nigeria’s qualification for the 2019 AFCON in Egypt with a game to spare.
Nigeria went ahead in the ninth minute through an own goal by Buhle Mkhwanazi, before Lebo Mothiba equalised in the 26th minute.
The Super Eagles finished top of the group, with South Africa also qualifying as runners-up.
