2025 AFCON Qualifier: Rwanda Seek Redemption Against Nigeria In Uyo
- As Coach Eguavoen moves for happy-ending to an impressive campaign
- Trio of Nwabali, Lookman, Aina will be missing in action
BY VICTOR OSOWOCHI – Despite having safely nicked the AFCON 2025 berth in Morocco, the Super Eagles will today seek to end the qualifying campaigns on high as they trade tackles with Amavubi (The Wasps) of Rwanda in their Matchday 6 outing scheduled for the Godswill Akpabio International Stadium in Uyo.
For Head Coach Augustine Eguavoen, who certainly is a happy man for immaculately steering the Eagles to land safely in Morocco, just the leadership of Group D and a ticket to the 35th Africa Cup of Nations finals may not be satisfying enough.
His desire is for the three-time African champions to sustain their current impressive form and spirit ahead of the 2026 FIFA World Cup qualifiers that will resume in four months, and overwhelming the Rwandans will surely add icing to the cake.
However, for the match, which kicks off at 5 pm Nigeria time, the Eagles will be missing the services of grieving goalkeeper Stanley Nwabali, defender Olaoluwa Aina and in-form forward Ademola Lookman.
With Nigeria only playing for prestige having already bagged the AFCON ticket, the country’s current safest-hands, goalkeeper Nwabali has been excused from camp to visit family and relations following the demise of his father.
Also, Nottingham Forest defender, Olaoluwa Aina sought permission to return to base in England ahead of his team’s crucial Premier League tie against fourth-placed Arsenal. Though on the same 19 points from 11 matches with the Gunners, Forest currently occupy the fifth position on the table due to their inferior goals aggregate
However, Lookman, who like teammate Victor Osimhen, has two goals to his credit in the qualifiers, will also be missing in action following the knock he received against Benin Republic’s Cheetahs in Abidjan on Thursday and had to leave camp on Saturday heading back to Italy for medical attention.
Interestingly, the last two encounters between Nigeria and Rwanda in all competitions have ended goalless, one in the 2018 African Nations Championship and one in this AFCON qualifying campaign.
In their last 22 AFCON qualifiers, the Super Eagles have lost just one, winning 16 and drawing five (5), including an awarded walkingover victory over Libya. Unfortunately, the only loss came on home soil in the team’s 0-1 defeat by Guinea-Bissau in March 2023.
For The Wasps of Rwanda, they have won just one of their last 12 AFCON qualifiers, drawing six (6) and losing five (5) in the process. Their only victory was beating Benin 2-1 in October. Also, they have failed to score in three of their last four such matches, an indication of a blunt attacking force.
But trust football with its unpredictability because all the statistics could easily pale into insignificance if Coach Eguavoen and his men decide to be complacent dealing with the visitors today in Uyo, the Akwa Ibom state capital.
ALL THE REMAINING FIXTURES
Monday, November 18, 2024
Group L – 13:00: Malawi vs Burkina Faso, Bingu National Stadium, Lilongwe
Group F – 16:00: Ghana vs Niger, Accra Sports Stadium, Accra
16:00: Sudan vs Angola, Venue TBD
Group D – 16:00: Libya vs Benin, Tripoli Stadium, Tripoli
16:00: Nigeria vs Rwanda, Godswill Akpabio Stadium, Uyo
Group A – 19:00: Comoros vs Madagascar, Venue TBD
19:00: Tunisia vs Gambia, Stade Olympique de Rades, Tunis
Group B – 19:00: Central African Republic vs Gabon, Venue TBD
19:00: Morocco vs Lesotho, Stade d’Honneur, Oujda
Tuesday, November 19, 2024
Group J – 13:00: Kenya vs Namibia, Venue TBD
13:00: Cameroon vs Zimbabwe, Stade Ahmadou Ahidjo, Yaoundé
Group C – 15:00: Mauritania vs Cape Verde, Stade Cheikha Ould Boidiya, Nouakchott
15:00: Egypt vs Botswana, Cairo International Stadium, Cairo
Group G – 16:00: Sierra Leone vs Zambia, Samuel Kanyon Doe Sports Complex, Paynesville
16:00: Côte d’Ivoire vs Chad, Stade Félix Houphouët-Boigny, Abidjan
Group H – 16:00: DR Congo vs Ethiopia, Stade des Martyrs, Kinshasa
16:00: Tanzania vs Guinea, Benjamin Mkapa National Stadium, Dar es Salaam
Group I – 16:00: Guinea-Bissau vs Mozambique, Estadio 24 de Setembro, Bissau
16:00: Mali vs Eswatini, Stade 26 Mars, Bamako
Group K Р16:00: Congo vs Uganda, Stade Alphonse Massamba-D̩bat, Brazzaville
16:00: South Africa vs South Sudan, Cape Town Stadium, Cape Town
Group L – 19:00: Senegal vs Burundi, Stade Abdoulaye Wade, Diamniadio
