Yesterday, Amahoro Stadium was abuzz as President Paul Kagame joined tens of thousands of supporters to cheer on Rwanda’s National Football Team, the Amavubi, in their Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) qualifier against Nigeria’s Super Eagles.
The match ended in a 0-0 draw, with Rwanda putting on a disciplined defensive display to hold off the Nigerian attack.
Despite dominating large portions of the game, Nigeria, coming off a commanding 3-0 win over Benin Republic, failed to break through Rwanda’s resolute defense. The result extended Nigeria’s unbeaten record against the Amavubi to six games.
Coach Austin Eguavoen made minimal changes to Nigeria’s lineup, bringing in Fisayo Dele-Bashiru for Alex Iwobi, while top scorer Victor Osimhen started on the bench.
Ademola Lookman, one of Nigeria’s key players, nearly gave Nigeria the lead in the 22nd minute, but his goal was ruled out for offside after Victor Boniface’s earlier shot hit the post.
Despite halftime substitutions that saw Osimhen and Moses Simon enter the game, Nigeria couldn’t find a breakthrough.
Rwanda, spurred by the presence of President Kagame, defended with resilience. Goalkeeper Fiacre Ntwari played a crucial role, making key saves, including a last-minute stop from an Osimhen header to preserve the draw.
With the draw, Nigeria remains top of Group D with four points, while Rwanda sits second with two points.
Nigeria will look to bounce back when they host Libya in their next qualifier in October.
