The Super Eagles of Nigeria kept their 2026 FIFA World Cup qualifying hopes alive with a hard-fought 1-0 victory over Rwanda on Saturday at the Godswill Akpabio International Stadium in Uyo.
Substitute Tolu Arokodare emerged the hero of the night, finding the back of the net in the 51st minute to secure all three points for Nigeria in a tense Group C encounter. The strike was enough to break the deadlock after both sides had struggled to create clear chances in the first half.
The result came barely 24 hours after group leaders South Africa tightened their grip on the top spot with a comfortable 3-0 win against Lesotho, pushing their tally to 16 points.
With this victory, Nigeria climbed to 10 points from seven matches, moving closer to contention for the group’s automatic World Cup ticket. Rwanda, on the other hand, remain stuck in fourth place with eight points and their hopes of qualification hanging by a thread.
Key Fixtures Ahead
The Super Eagles now turn their focus to a crucial away clash against South Africa at the Free State Stadium in Bloemfontein on Tuesday. That encounter is widely seen as a decisive fixture that could shape the group standings and determine whether Nigeria stay in the race for top spot.
After the South Africa tie, Nigeria will round off their Group C campaign in October with fixtures against Lesotho and Benin Republic. Victories in those matches, combined with a positive result in Bloemfontein, could be enough to book a ticket to the global showpiece in North America.
Growing Pressure on the Super Eagles
The victory eases some of the pressure on head coach Finidi George, whose team had been criticized for inconsistent performances earlier in the campaign. With just three matches left, every point will be crucial as Nigeria seek to return to the World Cup after missing out on Qatar 2022.
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