Eagles aim for victory against Rwanda – Eguavoen

Despite securing their 2025 AFCON ticket and top spot in Group D ahead of the final qualifying round, the Super Eagles will go all out for victory against Rwanda on Monday (today), says head coach Augustine Eguavoen.

Nigeria sealed their place in Morocco 2025 ahead of their penultimate qualifier against Beninese Republic in Abidjan on Thursday, thanks to Libya’s 1-0 win over Rwanda in Kigali, meaning Eguaveon’s men have nothing but pride to play for against the Amavubi – who still need a win to qualify.

For Eguavoen, the match against Rwanda is important to maintain the team’s momentum even ahead of the 2026 World Cup qualifiers, which resume in March 2025.

“When the World Cup qualifiers come, I don’t know if I’m in charge or not, but we want to win every game,” Eguavoen said during the pre-match interview on Sunday.

The Super Eagles are currently without three regular players, including CAF Player of the Year 2024 nominee Ademola Lookman, who left camp on Saturday after suffering a blow, while Ola Aina also returned to England at the request of his club, while goalkeeper Stanley Nwabali was excused after the match. death of his father.

Eguavoen believes the absence of grieving goalkeeper Nwabali, Aina and the in-form Lookman will not halt their momentum.

“He (Lookman) is slightly injured and cannot play… he said he is at 70 percent,” Eguavoen said, adding that he was the one who allowed him to return to his club Atalanta.

“Nuno (Espirito, coach of Nottingham Forrest) called me and he wanted Ola to return as we had already qualified. I approved it. It is part of the relationships we build with the clubs,” the coach added.

The Super Eagles are unaware that the Amavubi are in the same 2026 World Cup qualifying group as them and that they (Rwanda) are the next opponents when the World Cup qualifying campaign resumes in March 2025.

According to the NFF, Monday’s meeting will see the return of former number one safe hands Maduka Okoye, and Bright Osayi-Samuel could start at right wing-back in the absence of Aina, with Bruno Onyemaechi at left wing-back, and captain William Trost-Ekong and Calvin Bassey center back.

Wilfred Ndidi, Alex Iwobi, Frank Onyeka, Alhassan Yusuf Abdullahi, Fisayo Dele-Bashiru and Raphael Onyedika are still the options in the middle.

Victor Osimhen, whose goal in Abidjan yielded the only point that took Nigeria to the top of the group, will be hoping to score against the Amavubi after going very close on several occasions when coming on as a second-half substitute in Kigali in September took part in the battle. .

He also aims to overtake former captain Segun Odegbami in the goals tally for Nigeria as they both have 23 goals.

Lookman’s absence means so much is expected from the fit-fighting and generally reliable Moses Simon, with Samuel Chukwueze, Sadiq Umar, Kelechi Iheanacho and Victor Boniface all in the race for slots at the forefront.