- Arokodare scores on his home debut to seal vital win for Nigeria.
- Super Eagles face must-win clash vs South Africa on Tuesday.
- Osimhen doubtful after limping off with leg injury.
New Wolverhampton Wanderers striker, Tolu Arokodare, was the hero as the Super Eagles edged Rwanda with a narrow 1-0 win in Uyo. The 23-year-old grabbed the match-winner just six minutes after the restart, reacting quickly to slam the ball home from close range after a scrappy build-up in the box.
Eko Hot Blog confirms that the victory moves Nigeria up to third in Group C, overtaking Rwanda and cutting the gap to leaders South Africa to six points.
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The Super Eagles now face a must-win clash against the Bafana Bafana in Bloemfontein on Tuesday at 4:00 PM GMT.
With only group winners guaranteed a ticket to the 2026 World Cup, Nigeria knows anything less than victory in South Africa would leave their qualification hopes hanging by a thread.
However, the race for top spot could take a twist. South Africa are under investigation by FIFA for allegedly fielding an ineligible player during their win over Lesotho in March. If found guilty, they could be docked three points potentially boosting Nigeria’s chances.
Even if they fail to top the group, the Super Eagles still have a possible route through the African play-offs for the best second-placed teams, with one team advancing to a final intercontinental playoff.
It’s been a tough campaign for Nigeria, who have already changed managers three times. Current head coach Eric Chelle took over in January and began with four points from two games in March. But a late equaliser conceded against Zimbabwe in Uyo proved costly.
On Saturday, Nigeria knew nothing less than three points would do. Victor Osimhen had the ball in the net early, but the effort was ruled out for offside. Worse still, the Napoli star limped off just before half-time with a suspected leg injury.
Despite dominating the first half, Nigeria found it hard to break down a well-organised Rwandan defence. Arokodare, introduced at half-time, finally broke the deadlock in the 51st minute after a scramble in the box. His initial shot was blocked, Ola Aina’s follow-up was saved, but Arokodare was quickest to react and smashed the rebound into the roof of the net.
Nigeria pushed for a second, but Rwanda’s goalkeeper Fiacre Ntwari kept them at bay with excellent stops to deny Moses Simon and Ademola Lookman. At the other end, Calvin Bassey was alert to block a header before Stanley Nwabali smothered the loose ball.
The Super Eagles held firm through three minutes of added time to secure the much-needed victory. With Osimhen now a fitness doubt, Arokodare’s impact has put him in strong contention to lead the line against South Africa.
