Rwanda ended Nigeria’s Super Eagles unbeaten streak in the AFCON 2025 qualifiers after coming from behind to record a 2-1 win in their final Group D game in Uyo on Monday.
While the game was an inconsequential fixture for the Super Eagles, Rwanda needed to win and hope Benin lost away to Libya.
After an uninspiring first half performance the Eagles took the lead through substitute Samuel Chukwueze.
But two goals in three minutes from Ange Mutsinzi and Innocent Nshuti handed Rwanda a first-ever win against the Eagles.
The game saw coach Austin Eguavoen make several changes as Bright Osayi-Samuel, Alhassan Yusuf, Raphael Onyedika, Moses Simon, Fisayo Dele-Bashiru, Victor Boniface, were named in the starting line-up.
Also, Maduka Okoye made a return in goal for the Eagles for the first time in two years.
Dele-Bashiru with the Eagles first chance in the 2nd minute but his shot from the edge of the box was blocked.
In the 21st minute a Rwanda player beat his marker from the left but his cross into the box was well dealt with by Okoye.
Simon broke into the opponent’s box in the 39th minute but his attempted cross was intercepted.
On the stroke of halftime Kelechi Iheanacho had the Eagles first shot on target as he brought down Simon’s cross but saw his goal bound shot stopped by Rwanda keeper.
Before the start of the second half the Eagles made two changes with Frank Onyeka and Samuel Chukwueze replacing Yusuf and Iheanacho.
The Eagles almost took the lead four minutes into the second half but Victor Boniface header from a Simon’s corner was punched away by the Rwanda keeper.
The deadlock was eventually broken in the 59th minute thanks to Chukwueze who netted a superb solo goal.
After receiving the ball in the centre circle, Chukwueze ran towards Rwanda goal area, beat three players before shooting past the keeper.
Rwanda was forced to make a change as their first choice keeper went off injured in the 69th minute.
Ange Mutsinzi made it 1-1 in the 72nd minute after heading in a well delivered set piece which left Okoye stranded.
Innocent Nshuti then gave Rwanda the lead on 75 minutes as he slotted past Okoye off a cross.
Chukwueze had a chance to equalise on 87 minutes but failed to properly control Simon’s cross.
In stoppage time Onyedika tried a long range strike from outside the box which the Rwandan keeper held well.
Meanwhile, the group other game saw Benin Republic hold Libya to a goalless draw which was enough to land them the ticket to next year’s AFCON in Morocco.
After the final round of the qualifiers, the Eagles topped the group on 11 points and Benin Republic finished second on eights.
Rwanda was third also on eight points but missed out to Benin on goals difference while Libya finished bottom on five points.
17 Comments
It’s high time we replaced some of our players with home base. We need solid team to the nations cup.
Do those people calling for Eguavouen to be given a contract to be Eagles permanent coach still feel the same?
There is nothing to the game, it being a dead rubber. Before you start to change handle,it was clearly a practice match as the Coach seized the initiative to try out new formation with his teamB. Imagine a game chukwueze had to be relied on to score.
Tell us something new.
All Morrocco’s 6 matches in these qualifiers are dead rubber. They have won all 6 and score 21 goals and still counting, with only 2 conceded.
18pts and +19 goal difference from dead rubber games.
And that translates that when tournament proper starts they will win the cup. Smh. What happened at the last AFCON. Were they not the favourites. If they like let them score 50 goals they will still not win
Hahahahaha….Okponu….ode lasan lasan….LMAOoo.
Who has talked about when the tournament starts now….????
At least read the thread properly first and follow the conversation before opening you mouth to vomit your usual sewage…..LMAOoo
Arindin oshi…..LMAOoo. He cannot keep a straight line of conversation.
Please take your brain for dry cleaning.
Please where his segun west? we needed hin wit dis ting, kel and dis ting ermm watin cal chinma s daneil along wit olaosebikan to included arara kumbie along with eguavoon an sadiq umar with boniface victor all to gather hear.
if yuh didnt found dem den y not bring in dis ting ermmm mokey yash to bring service for more gaols for de supper chicken?
so pls told segun west an kel wit chinma x mikeal dat all is arrange.
Is this English or Arabic???
The only two nations in our WC qualifying group that look like they will not bow down to South Africa (Benin Republic and Rwanda(whom we didn’t even defeat once in two matches)), we lost to them. Is it now Lesotho and Zimbabwe who will play their HOME MATCHES in South Africa that we expect to steal points off South Africa or Rwanda or Benin?
I can’t expect any serious tactician to take over from this clueless Eguavoen and successfully outwit the other nations who always already have stable coaches. It’s a banana peel and NFF must resign after next year’s failure. They plotted this disaster and must sink with it.
Rwanda swiftly replaced their former coach within 3 weeks; Nigeria is using ages to sift coaches from Mars.
I said it before: these players of whom the bulk got us only 4 points from the first 4 WC qualifiers will NOT use the same brain to produce a different result.
They can always fly as guests and spectators to USA for the world cup.
NFF, RETAIN EGUAVOEN. PLEASE. GETTING A FOREIGN COACH NOW WILL APPEAR TO BE A PANIC. AND YOU WILL BE NOW SPENDING YOUR FATHER’S MONEY. WE DON’T WANT SUCH GENEROSITY BECAUSE WE WON’T APPRECIATE IT. STICK WITH EGUAVOEN.
AND PRAY, CAS DON’T SHIFT GROUND ON LIBYAN PETITION BECAUSE THERE WILL ALWAYS BE TIME FOR REPLAY.
AFCON is in December next year and if it comes to replay, Libya will thrash this team after making them walk on tortuous path.
And definitely, we’d lose leaving:
Nigeria 8pts
Rwanda 8pts
Benin Republic 8pts and
Libya also on 8 points.
So much for qualifying for AFCON with 2 games to spare!
Falcons will soon thread that path. Watch out!
Insipid glasshouse!!!
If Libya are successful with their petition it means losing to Libya in a replay will automatically eliminate Nigeria from the Afcon..Seemingly,we aren’t sure of qualification at least not yet..
So had we played Libya away and lost,we would be in tears this evening for missing out on the Afcon..Wow!Domestic coaches with qualification hedge!
This tewm is worst. Eguavoen must go.
Go where na? OKOYE was poor in his handling. OKOYE caused it and not the coach.
1. Eguavoen has been found out.
2. No Osimhen, No SE.
3. We will need Rohr’s help (love him or loathe him). He is still a factor if we ever stand a chance to qualify for the next WC.
These were my observations from the last match, and today’s events have not proven otherwise….LMAOoo.
Congratulations to anyone who still believes Eguavoen would lead us to 6 wins in our next 6 World Cup qualifiers….LMAOooo.
At least they cant claim he’s new to the team anymore…!
Apparently,with Eguavoen we should kiss goodbye to world cup qualification!
Ah, that’s excuse for him already:”The team dropped 8 points from 12 in the first 4 matches. So, it was always going to be hard to recover and WIN ALL THE REMAINING MATCHES. Morocco is a different beast after winning all AFCON 2025 qualifiers because they have a stable team from Qatar 2022 blah blah blah”, I am very sure will be his excuse for failure next year.
Meanwhile, congratulations to Benin Republic and Mr. Gernot Rohr for once again getting the required result away from home. Actually, these entire series were all AWAY GAMES for Benin.
They missed the last AFCON courtesy of a 90th minute save by Mozambique’s GK in Maputo the last time out, after taking over midway through the series when they were rock bottom….but there wasnt goann be any denial this time. Delay is no denial. Benin needed a draw in Libya (a result I can guarantee Eguavoen’s SE would have gotten there) and they got it.
Congrats to Benin, their Nigerian contingent and their PE Teacher/Mechanic Coach too.
They said if he was good enough, why hasnt he get a job….He got shortlisted for 3 (Mali, Ghana and Benin) and eventually landed the weakest of them all Benin. And just like the way he bravely took the Nigeria job at a time Nigeria had failed to qualify for AFCON back to back, ranked 70th in the world and 16th in Africa, he also took over Benin at a time drawing matches was a herclean task for them.
They went on to say if he’s that good, he should qualify Benin for AFCON…..to all those street urchins, It is with great sadness I wish to inform y’all Rohr has once again showed y’all the middle finger by doing what you thought was unthikable….qualifying Benin for AFCON.
That ordinary PE teacher has led lowly Benin back to AFCON. Infact it took a spectacular combination of Simon and Osimhen to deny him the chance of doing so with a game to spare…..LMAOooo
I know the next thing y’all will blab now is that if he’s that good he should win the world cup……LMAOoooo.
Bunch of nitwits…!!!
We have pleaded.
We begged Gusua since the resignation of Peseiro. We stated , get us a competent foreign coach.
We stated clearly that none of this so called class of 94 players turn coaches can do anything tangible with the Eagles. They simply don’t HAVE IT.
We stated clearly that Eguavoen is all ‘initial gra gra’ and lack the tactical acumen to be consistent in getting the needed results. HE DOESN’T HAVE IT.
Gusua! Gusua!…why for the love of God, do you enjoy shooting yourself on the foot. Get us a Competent foreign coach for crying out loud.
Cause as it is, I am kissing the next World cup goodbye and even worst, next year AFCON might be gone as well if CAS favours Libya’s appeal.
Just wow!