Super Eagles Vow To Beat Rwanda
Super Eagles stand-in captain William Troost-Ekong has revealed that the team is not concerned about Nigeria’s poor record against Rwanda, but they are targeting the maximum points.
Eric Chelle’s team will take on the Amavubi of Rwanda on Friday in 2026 World Cup qualifiers at the Amahoro Stadium in Kigali.
Nigeria have failed to win in all their three trips to Rwanda, drawing all the matches, the team’s only goal in the country was scored by Obafemi Martins in a World Cup qualifier in 2005.
Troost-Ekong is confident that the team will grab the maximum points, and he is unconcerned about the team’s winless run in Rwanda.
He said: “Actually, 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 official training session at the Amahoro Stadium on Thursday evening.
World football-governing body, FIFA has appointed Moroccan referee Jalal Jayed to take charge of the game that will kick off at 6pm Rwanda time (5pm 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.
On Friday, Franco-Malian tactician Éric Sékou Chelle will lead out the Super Eagles for the first time, as he aims to record the team’s first victory in the series.
The Super Eagles are yet to win in their previous four matches, picking up three points to sit fifth on the table.
Super Eagles Vow To Beat Rwanda is first published on The Whistler Newspaper
