Nigeria’s Super Eagles were held to a goalless draw against the Amavubi of Rwanda in their Africa Cup of Nations qualifier on Tuesday. The match, played in Kigali, saw the Nigerian team, led by head coach Austin Eguavoen, unable to capitalize on their chances, despite dominating large portions of the game. This result came after their impressive 3-0 victory over Benin Republic just days earlier.
Eguavoen made a single adjustment to his starting lineup, with Fisayo Dele-Basiru stepping in for Alex Iwobi. Victor Boniface, who had performed well in the previous match, retained his starting position, while Victor Osimhen, who had come off the bench to score against Benin, once again began the game as a substitute.
Boniface came close to justifying Eguavoen’s faith in him when he cleverly outwitted a Rwandan defender and unleashed a powerful shot, only for the ball to ricochet off the post. Moments later, Ademola Lookman thought he had broken the deadlock with a precise header from an Ola Aina cross, but the goal was disallowed due to a foul on a Rwandan player.
Lookman, a recent Ballon d’Or nominee, struggled to find his rhythm early on, managing a solo run through Rwanda’s defence, only to see his effort saved by Rwandan goalkeeper Fiacre Ntwari, who was in superb form throughout the match. Ntwari’s heroics continued as he frustrated the Nigerian forwards, making a series of crucial saves to keep the scoreline level.
At halftime, Eguavoen introduced Victor Osimhen and Moses Simon in an attempt to bolster the attack, but Rwanda’s resilient defense remained impenetrable. Ntwari’s standout performance included a last-minute save, denying Osimhen’s powerful header and securing a well-earned point for Rwanda.
Despite relentless pressure, the Super Eagles were unable to find a breakthrough. However, the draw keeps Nigeria at the top of Group D with four points, while Rwanda sits in second place with two points. Nigeria will now look ahead to their next qualifier in October, where they will face Libya on home soil.
