Nigeria Seeks Revenge Against Rwanda in World Cup Qualifier

LAGOS, Nigeria — Nigeria’s Super Eagles will face Rwanda on Friday in the CAF World Cup qualifying match, seeking retribution for a surprising defeat in November.

The last encounter between the two teams ended with Rwanda emerging victorious, 2-1, as they scored two goals within three minutes in the closing moments of the match. This defeat prompted the Nigerian football federation to make a drastic coaching change, leading to the dismissal of Augustine Eguavoen, marking the fourth coaching change for the Super Eagles in four years.

Former Mali international Eric Chelle was appointed as Eguavoen’s successor and will make his competitive debut against Rwanda. Chelle’s hiring came after a six-month stint with Algerian club MC Oran, following his exit as Mali’s head coach last summer.

With the Super Eagles already qualified for AFCON 2025 as group winners, the team experimented with its lineup for the November match, which ultimately resulted in their only loss in the qualification period. Chelle will likely reintroduce key players to the starting lineup, including forwards Victor Osimhen, Alex Iwobi, Calvin Bassey, and Samuel Chukwueze.

Star goalkeeper Stanley Nwabali is also expected to return after being sidelined for the previous match. However, Chelle’s decision to exclude Kelechi Iheanacho from the squad has raised some eyebrows. Iheanacho, a former Manchester City player, has yet to contribute to Middlesbrough since joining on loan this winter. Midfielder Frank Onyeka, who played a significant role in Nigeria’s successful AFCON campaign, is also not part of the roster.

The expected lineup for Nigeria is a 4-3-3 formation, with Nwabali in goal, supported by Osayi-Samuel, Troost-Ekong, Bassey, and Onyemaechi in defense. In midfield, Iwobi, Onyedika, and Ndidi are likely to take the field, while Chukwueze, Osimhen, and Simon will lead the attack.

As the match approaches, fans and analysts alike are keen to see how Nigeria will respond to the pressure of the game and if they can turn the tables on Rwanda.

For viewers eager to catch the action, the match will be broadcast at various times across different regions: in the USA at 12 p.m. ET on Friday, in Canada at the same time, in the UK at 4 p.m. GMT, and in Australia at 3 a.m. ADST on Saturday. Indian fans can tune in via FanCode at 9:30 p.m. IST on Friday.