On Friday, March 21, 2025, Rwanda's national team, the Amavubi, faced Nigeria's Super Eagles in their fifth match of the 2026 FIFA World Cup qualifiers.
The game, played at Amahoro Stadium in
Kigali, ended in a 2-0 defeat for Rwanda, with both goals scored by Nigeria's
star striker Victor Osimhen. The result saw Rwanda drop from the top of Group C
standings.
The match kicked off with both teams displaying
high intensity, but it was Nigeria that broke the deadlock early. In the 11th
minute, Victor Osimhen capitalized on a free kick from Ademola Lookman to head
in the first goal, putting Nigeria ahead.
Rwanda struggled to respond as the Super
Eagles controlled possession and launched several dangerous attacks. Despite
efforts from Mugisha Gilbert and Nshuti Innocent, the Amavubi found it
difficult to penetrate Nigeria’s solid defense.
As the first half neared its end, Nigeria
doubled their lead in stoppage time. Osimhen once again showcased his striking
prowess, evading Rwandan defenders before calmly chipping the ball past
goalkeeper Fiacre Ntwari in the 45+2nd minute.
The second half saw Rwanda make multiple
substitutions in an attempt to mount a comeback. Yves Habimana and Muhire Kevin
were brought on to add creativity in attack, but Nigeria remained resolute in
defense. Rwandan forward Yves Habimana appeared to have scored in the 88th
minute, but the goal was disallowed for offside.
Following this result, Rwanda remained on 7
points, while Nigeria climbed to 6 points. South Africa currently leads Group C
with 10 points, followed by Benin (8 points), Lesotho (5 points), and Zimbabwe
(3 points).
With this loss, Rwanda will need to bounce
back in their next fixture to stay in contention for World Cup qualification.
Meanwhile, Nigeria will look to build on this victory as they push for a spot
in the tournament set to be hosted by the USA, Canada, and Mexico in 2026.
Rwanda lost to Nigeria 2-0 in the World Cup
qualifier
Rwanda lost the top spot in Group C and
dropped to third place
Kin
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