Nigeria, still searching for their first victory in the 2026 FIFA World Cup qualifiers, travel to face Rwanda, a side the Super Eagles haven’t beaten in years, at the Amahoro Stadium on Friday in a crucial Group C encounter.
The Super Eagles, second-bottom in the group, cannot afford another slip-up as they aim to revive their qualification hopes. Meanwhile, Rwanda, joint-top of the standings, look to consolidate their position with a strong home performance.
🔵Rwanda Aiming for a Historic WC Qualification | Home Win = 4.86💵
Rwanda, sitting level on points with South Africa and Benin, are in a strong position to push for their first-ever World Cup appearance. A 1-0 win over Lesotho last June highlighted their resilience.
With back-to-back home fixtures, the Amavubi will be eyeing a strong result against Nigeria, who they are yet to lose to in five games, to maintain their advantage. New head Coach Adel Amrouche hopes to make an immediate impact in his first game in charge.
🔴Nigeria Desperate for First Win in Qualifiers | Away Win = 1.99💵
Nigeria’s campaign has been underwhelming, with three draws and a 2-1 loss to Benin leaving them in a precarious position. Eric Chelle's men must secure maximum points to stay in contention for qualification.
Victor Osimhen returns after missing their previous fixtures, boosting Nigeria’s attack alongside Ademola Lookman. The visitors have never failed to qualify for back-to-back World Cups since their debut in 1994 and will be determined to avoid such a fate.
🔑Key Players & Team News📰
Rwanda are without Yunusu Nshimiyimana and Fitina Omborenga, who are absent due to personal reasons. Fiacre Ntwari, with three clean sheets in qualifying, will aim to keep Nigeria’s attackers at bay.
For Nigeria, Victor Osimhen leads the attack after scoring 26 goals for Galatasaray this season. Moses Simon and Lookman are expected to support him in attack, while William Troost-Ekong and Calvin Bassey will marshal the defence.
📂Match Stats & Betting Odds | Draw = 2.92💵
⚽Rwanda have not lost to Nigeria in their last five (5) encounters, including a 2-1 win in AFCON qualifying. | Specials Market: Over 2.5 & Yes = 3.50
⚽Nigeria are unbeaten in all their last three (3) away matches in all competitions with two draws and a win. | Specials Market: Draw/Away & Over 1.5 = 1.82
⚽Rwanda have conceded just one goal in qualifying, boasting the best defensive record in Group C. | Main Market: Under 2.5 = 1.65
With Nigeria in dire need of three points and Rwanda pushing for a historic qualification, Friday’s clash is set to be a high-stakes battle in Kigali.
🔗You can check out the African World Cup 2026 Qualifiers game, Rwanda vs Nigeria, here on MSport.
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