- Nigeria held to a goalless draw by Rwanda in their 2025 AFCON qualifier
- Victor Osimhen started on the bench, with Boniface leading the attack
- Eguavoen explained the decision to manage Osimhen’s minutes due to fitness concerns
Nigeria’s Super Eagles were left frustrated in Kigali as the Rwanda Wasps held them to a goalless draw in their second 2025 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) qualifier.
After a convincing 3-0 victory over Benin just three days earlier, coach Augustine Eguavoen’s side entered the game with confidence, hoping to secure another three points. However, despite controlling most of the game, the Super Eagles couldn’t find a way past Rwanda’s tenacious defence.
The Nigerian team, featuring only one change from the starting lineup that defeated Benin, struggled to turn their dominance into goals. Fisayo Dele-Bashiru came in for Alex Iwobi, while Victor Boniface once again led the attack, with Victor Osimhen starting on the bench.
Nigeria started brightly, creating several clear-cut chances in the opening stages. In the 22nd minute, Ademola Lookman, fresh from his brace against Benin, thought he had given Nigeria the lead, only for his header to be ruled out due to a foul by Boniface.
Boniface had his chances to score, including a powerful shot that struck the post before Lookman’s follow-up was cleared off the line by the Rwandan defence. Despite Nigeria’s attacking prowess, Fiacre Ntwari, Rwanda’s goalkeeper, delivered a superb performance, thwarting multiple efforts by the Super Eagles throughout the game.
To shake things up, Eguavoen made tactical adjustments at halftime, introducing Osimhen and Moses Simon. The changes almost paid off immediately, with Dele-Bashiru missing narrowly and Ntwari pulling off another save to deny Simon.
However, Nigeria’s wastefulness in front of goal continued. As time went by, Rwanda began to assert more control over possession, though they failed to create many dangerous chances.
Coach Eguavoen later explained his decision to keep Osimhen on the bench at the start, “Osimhen is our brother, you can’t throw the baby out with the bathwater. We know what he is going through in Napoli.”
The coach also emphasized the need to manage the striker’s fitness, stating,
“He played the last 25 minutes in the previous game, and today we had a word with him that he can’t play 90 minutes or else he will get injured.”
Although disappointed with the result, Nigeria extended their unbeaten run against Rwanda to six matches. The Super Eagles now focus on their next AFCON qualifier, where they will host Libya before travelling to Tripoli in October.
AFCON 2025: Match details as Super Eagles aim for solid start against Benin in qualifier game
Previously, TheRadar reported that the Super Eagles of Nigeria are set to commence their journey for the 2025 AFCON qualifiers, with an opening fixture against their West African neighbours, Benin.
The teams recently faced off in June during a FIFA 2026 World Cup qualifier, where Benin, under the guidance of Gernot Rohr, stunned the three-time African champions with a 2-1 victory in Abidjan.
