World Cup
Super Eagles determined to snatch first-ever victory in Kigali
As the countdown races to Friday’s crucial 2026 FIFA World Cup qualifying match at the Amahoro Stadium in Kigali, Nigeria’s Super Eagles are unfazed by talks of Nigeria never having beaten Rwanda in any part of the country called Rwanda.
Their focus, according to team captain William Ekong, is the three points at stake.
“We read about that in some places, but we are not bothered. I was part of the last game in Kigali which ended scoreless, but we know that we cannot afford a draw this time.
“Our objective is to pick the three points and bring some life back into our campaign.
“We are certainly not concerned about history books and what has happened before now. Qualification for the FIFA World Cup is our priority.”
The three-time African champions are yet to achieve victory over Rwanda in that country, going back to 20 years ago when a 2006 FIFA World Cup qualifying match ended 1-1 at the Amahoro Stadium.
In 2011, a 2012 Africa Cup of Nations qualifying match at the Stade Regional de Nyamirambo, in the outskirts of Kigali, ended scoreless.
In September last year, another 0-0 was the outcome of a 2025 AFCON qualifying match at the Amahoro.
All 23 invited players were at the Eagles’ Radisson Blu nest on Tuesday night, meaning everyone would be involved in the second training on Wednesday, and in the official training session at the Amahoro Stadium on Thursday evening.
Nigeria’s goal-banger Victor Osimhen was among the early arrivals while celebrating becoming the new leading scorer in the Turkish Superlig with 20 goals after a hat-trick on Saturday.
The 2015 FIFA U17 World Cup top scorer now has 23 goals for Nigeria in 47 matches.
There are also reigning Africa Player of the Year Ademola Lookman, Simon Moses, Samuel Chukwueze, Sadiq Umar and new invitee Tolu Arokodare to make life difficult for the Amavubi rearguard.
World football governing body, FIFA has appointed Moroccan referee Jalal Jayed, who turns 38 two days after the match, to take charge of the game that will kick off at 6 pm Rwanda time (5 pm Nigeria time).
Jayed took charge of a friendly game between the Super Eagles and Ghana’s Black Stars in Marrakech on 22nd March 2024, which Nigeria won 2-1.
That match marked the first in 18 years that Nigeria would overcome Ghana in a game at the senior level.
On Friday, Franco-Malian tactician Éric Sékou Chelle will lead out the Super Eagles for the first time, as the FIFA World Cup qualifying series resumes with Nigeria, yet to win in their previous four matches, having to start winning to brighten their chances of picking the only automatic ticket from Group C to the finals in USA, Canada and Mexico next summer.
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With Friday’s match having the ability to shape the destiny of the Super Eagles in the 2026 World Cup qualification series, they are condemned to win the encounter with Rwanda.
But the Rwandans are not waiting to be slayed. A win, or even a draw will boost their chances of first ever World Cup qualification.
In contrast, a draw or a defeat for the Super Eagles could spell doom by almost ending their qualification journey.
The match is almost a reversed fixture of both teams that last featured in the international calendar last November facing each other in Uyo.
Both go into Friday’s game under new coaches. Algeria’s Adel Amrouche is the new helmsman in Rwanda while Eric Chelle takes over from Nigeria’s interim coach, Austin Eguavoen.
The lead newspaper in Rwanda, The New Times gives tips to the home team on how they could overcome Nigeria. There are five tips offered.
- Take control of the midfield
The last time Rwanda hosted Nigeria in Kigali was in the 2025 AFCON qualifiers on September 10, 2024, in a game which ended 0-0.
The game saw Rwandan midfield trio Bonheur Mugisha, Djihad Bizimana and Kevin Muhire running the show.
The tripod of Rwanda’s Midfield: Bonheur Mugisha, Djihad Bizimana and Kevin Muhire
They outclassed the likes of Wilfried Ndidi, Dele-Bashiru and Bruno Onyemaechi though the Rwandan attack looked blunt on the day.
On Friday, Rwanda has the tendency to control the midfield again and once they prove superior in that department, it will reduce the pressure which the opponent may mount.
- Man-mark Osimhen
During the previous match at the same venue last year, it was Rwandan goalkeeper Fiacre Ntwari against Nigeria’s menacing attack.
Ntwari pulled as many as 11 brilliant saves to keep his side in the game.
Masked man, Victor Osimhen will be a marked man on Friday.
Osimhen came into that game in the second half and had three good chances saved by Ntwari.
The Galatasaray striker is likely to start on Friday and centre-backs Ange Mutsinzi and Thierry Manzi must man-mark him.
They shouldn’t give Osimhen any room to operate as he just needs one chance to cause havoc.
He will be coming into the game like a wounded lion and the Amavubi guardsmen should be able to frustrate him.
- Spread the game to the wings
The majority of Amavubi’s most recent goals have been scored from crosses where Innocent Nshuti scored [against Libya and Nigeria] from the wings.
Amrouche will be without left-back Emmanuel Imanishimwe who did the damage in Uyo but, in his absence, Amavubi has a formidable replacement in Claude Niyomugabo.
Rwanda will depend on Claude Niyomugabo to run the flanks
On his day, the APR skipper is unplayable and can mesmerize any fullback on the flanks.
Amavubi should get the ball to the flanks as both Niyomugabo and Fitina Omborenga can deliver dangerous crosses for Nshuti.
- Give Lookman no luxury of finding space
Lookman is dangerous and he showed it when the two teams last met in Kigali. The Atalanta forward is not only a goal scorer but a ball juggler who can torment the opposing team’s defence.
All eyes will look on Lookman
Ademola Whether Eric Chelle uses Lookman as a number 10 or from the wings, Amavubi players shouldn’t give him space to operate as he can settle the game with one moment of brilliance.
They should stop him and always a keen eye on him any time he has the ball so that he doesn’t go solo.
- Be proactive in the Nigeria penalty box
Nshuti should be attentive as Nigeria goalkeeper Stanley Nwabali has a problem which is always spilling or punching balls before trying to grab it firmly again.
Relentless attack in Nigeria’s goalmouth is what Rwanda plan
Amavubi has the likes of Djihad Bizimana and others who have the power to hit balls from long range.
Nshuti, in particular, should be lurking inside the penalty box as he can score from rebounds.
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Underperforming Nigeria and disadvantaged Sudan share the spotlight ahead of two 2026 World Cup qualifying matchdays in Africa from Wednesday.
Seeded to win Group C and automatically qualify, a Nigerian team boasting the past two African Footballers of the Year Victor Osimhen and Ademola Lookman lie fifth in a six-team section.
In a qualifying competition spanning three years, the Super Eagles drew with Lesotho, Zimbabwe and South Africa, then crashed to Benin in pursuit of a seventh World Cup appearance.
Since finishing 2024 Africa Cup of Nations runners-up to hosts Ivory Coast, Nigeria have had three coaches — locals Finidi George and Augustine Eguavoen and now Eric Chelle.
Fired by Mali after a poor start to their World Cup campaign, Ivory Coast-born Chelle admits he faces a “huge challenge”, starting with Rwanda away and Zimbabwe at home this month.
Blessed with outstanding forwards Osimhen and Lookman, the coach says “football is about scoring goals and I favour an attacking style”.
Seeded fifth in Group B, Sudan occupy first place ahead of a top-of-table clash with three-time World Cup qualifiers Senegal in Benghazi as they try to reach the finals for the first time.
The match is in Libya because Sudan has been engulfed in a civil war since April 2023. The conflict has claimed tens of thousands of lives and uprooted more than 12 million people.
AFP Sport highlights five matchday five clashes as the African qualifying schedule reaches the halfway mark:
Ethiopia v Egypt
As if trying to contain star Egypt forwards Mohamed Salah and Mahmoud Trezeguet is not sufficiently daunting, Ethiopia must also deal with recent Manchester City recruit Omar Marmoush.
Salah and Trezeguet are the leading scorers in African qualifying with five goals each — between them netting all but one of the Pharaohs’ 11 in Group A, which they lead by four points.
Although this is a home fixture for Ethiopia, ranked 113 places below Egypt, it will be staged in Morocco because the east African country lacks a FIFA-approved stadium.
Sudan v Senegal
Ghana-born Sudan coach Kwesi Appiah has told his squad to imagine they are world superstars as they seek to stretch a two-point Group B lead over Senegal.
“Look straight at the Senegalese stars and believe you are as good as they are. There is a war raging in your homeland and you are playing for your families and your country,” he told them.
Senegal can call on 32-year-old two-time African Footballer of the Year Sadio Mane, but will miss another high-profile forward, Nicolas Jackson from Chelsea, due to a hamstring injury.
Rwanda v Nigeria
Nigeria may be ranked 80 places above Rwanda, but dare not underestimate the Wasps after what happened in Africa Cup of Nations qualifying last year.
Rwanda forced a 0-0 draw in Kigali, then stunned Nigeria 2-1 in Uyo with Innocent Nshuti and Jimmy Mutsinzi scoring within three minutes during the second half.
Chelle will not be the only new coach on view. Rwanda did not extend the one-year contract of German Torsten Spittler and hired Algerian Adel Amrouche.
Gambia v Kenya
Former South Africa star Benni McCarthy, part of the Manchester United backroom staff when Erik ten Hag was manager, debuts as Kenya coach, vowing to take the Harambee Stars to the World Cup.
“With the right mindset and dedication from the players, and a willingness to learn and give everything they have got, we can surprise a lot of people,” says the 47-year-old.
African champions Ivory Coast are set to win Group F, so Kenya need wins away to Gambia and at home to second-placed Gabon to have a realistic chance of coming second and reaching play-offs.
Ghana v Chad
After failing to qualify for the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations and a World Cup loss away to shock Group I leaders Comoros, Ghana coach Otto Addo cannot afford any more setbacks.
Chad are pointless, have scored just once, some stars are boycotting this match due to “poor organisation” and coach Kevin Nicaise quit to be replaced by Qatari Tahir Zakaria Gardia.
So, it is hard to imagine Ghana, bolstered by Premier League trio Thomas Partey, Jordan Ayew and Antoine Semenyo, failing to secure three points before a tougher assignment against Madagascar.
-AFP
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It’s a full house! All the 23 players invited for the zero-option duel against Rwanda are now in camp.
The latest of the players, Alhassan Yussuf arrived in the early hours of Wednesday. Playing for the New England Revolution, he is the only member of the team based in the US.
With his presence, all 23 players will be available for the second training session that Eric Chelle will have with the team on Wednesday.
On Thursday, the Super Eagles will train inside the Amahoro Stadium, the venue of Friday’s World Cup qualifying duel. Sports Village Square gathered that the stadium is equipped with Spidercam which will also enable an overhead telecast of matches.
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