Rwanda’s hopes of qualifying for the 2026 FIFA World Cup took a major hit after a narrow 1-0 loss to Nigeria’s Super Eagles at the Godswill Akpabio International Stadium in Uyo. The defeat, which drops Rwanda to fourth in Group C, has left their Algerian head coach Adel Amrouche grappling with the realities of his team’s dwindling qualification chances.

Despite a well-organized performance and a spirited effort, Amavubi failed to find the back of the net, with the Super Eagles capitalizing on a key opportunity to seal the win and strengthen their own path to the World Cup. Nigeria now sits third in the group with 10 points, six behind table-toppers South Africa, whom they face next in a crucial qualifier.

Rwanda’s head coach expressed his disappointment in the result to Rwanda’s New Times. But he praised his side’s tactical approach and defensive resilience.
“We came with a plan to defeat Nigeria. We held our opponent, and we have statistics for each player during the game,” Amrouche said during a post-match press conference.

“We approached the game the right way, but the difference came down to missed chances and not putting enough pressure on Nigeria.”

One of Rwanda’s standout performers was goalkeeper Fiacre Ntwari, who made several vital saves to keep the scoreline close. Amrouche lauded his keeper’s efforts, saying, “Fiacre did a great job keeping us in the game. Without him, the score could have been worse.”

He also acknowledged the strength of the Nigerian team but hinted that the hosts were fortunate to claim all three points.

“Nigeria has a good coach in Eric Chelle, and they have quality players. But they were lucky to win today,” Amrouche added.

The defeat extends Rwanda’s winless streak to five matches across all competitions, casting further doubt on their ability to mount a serious challenge for World Cup qualification.

Meanwhile, Nigeria will head into their next fixture against group leaders South Africa with renewed confidence. With just three games left in the qualifiers, the battle for the top spot — and a ticket to the 2026 World Cup — remains fierce.

Group C Standings (Top 4 as of Sept 6, 2025):

1. South Africa – 16 pts
2. Ghana – 13 pts
3. Nigeria – 10 pts
4. Rwanda – 7 pts

Rwanda’s next match could prove to be make-or-break, with Amrouche now under pressure to rally his team before their qualification dream slips entirely out of reach.

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The Atlas Lions of Morocco in the Group E of the African qualifying series for the 2026 World Cup may have made winning a habit.

Even with the qualification for the World Cup already secured, they won’t lower their guards. On Monday, they made it seven wins in seven matches following their 2-0 away win over Zambia.

It appeared they picked up from where they ended on Friday with a late goal over Niger in Rabat by also scoring early in their away duel in Zambia.

After just seven minutes, the Moroccans were already a goal up through Youssef En-Nesyri.

Again, early in the second half, Hamza Igamane doubled the lead in the 47^th minute. With the win, the Moroccans take their point haul to 21 and their goal tally also goes to 21, They only conceded two goals – indicating a potent attack and solid defense line.

Tanzania (10 pts, 6 GP) are next and hold a game in hand on the chasing pair Zambia and Niger (both 6 pts; Niger 5 GP), while Congo sit on one point.

With Eritrea withdrawn, the group features uneven game counts, but Morocco’s dominance has removed any jeopardy at the top.

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Nigeria’s Super Eagles arrived in Bloemfontein on Sunday evening to a rousing reception from the Nigerian community in South Africa, as anticipation builds for their crucial 2026 FIFA World Cup qualifying clash with Bafana Bafana.

The delegation, led by Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) President,  Ibrahim Musa Gusau, touched down at Bloemfontein Airport at 6:25 pm local time aboard a chartered ValueJet aircraft.

The flight, which lasted three and a half hours from Luanda, Angola, had earlier taken off from Uyo and made a two-and-a-half-hour stop in Luanda to refuel.

Welcoming the Super Eagles was Nigeria’s High Commissioner to South Africa, Tope Ajayi, alongside the Senior Special Assistant to the President on Grassroots Sports Development, Adeyinka Adeboye.

They were joined by senior officials of the National Sports Commission, including Salihu Abubakar,  Musa Amadu, Dr (Mrs) Kehinde Ajayi, Ebidowei Owiefie, and Seyi Johnson.

The Nigerian community in South Africa, mobilised by their president, Smart Nwobi, turned out in large numbers clad in traditional attire. They sang, drummed, and danced to create a carnival-like atmosphere that lifted the spirits of the team.

Also on the delegation were Chairman of the House of Representatives Committee on Sports, Kabiru Amadu, NFF General Secretary Dr. Mohammed Sanusi, former Super Eagles captain Nwankwo Kanu and Victor Ikpeba, as well as other stakeholders, management staff, and media representatives.

Twenty-two players made the trip, along with technical and administrative staff. The only absentee was striker Victor Osimhen, who picked up an injury during Saturday’s 1-0 victory over Rwanda in Uyo.

The Eagles are scheduled to hold their official training session at Toyota Stadium, Bloemfontein, on Monday at 6 pm local time (5 pm Nigeria time), where coach Eric Chelle will put finishing touches to his tactical plans for Tuesday’s highly anticipated clash.

Nigeria currently sit in a tense Group C battle, with the outcome of Tuesday’s game likely to shape the course of the World Cup qualification campaign for both sides.

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