Tolu Arokodare netted the only goal of the game as Nigeria secured a hard-fought 1-0 win over Rwanda on Saturday to keep their World Cup hopes alive.
South Africa’s 3-0 win over Lesotho a day earlier had increased the gap between them and Nigeria to nine points, making Saturday’s clash against the Amavubi a must-win for the Super Eagles.
The three-time African champions headed into the encounter at the Godswill Akpabio International Stadium as favorites and started brightly, with Victor Osimhen finding the back of the net in the eighth minute.
However, the strike was ruled out for offside against the Galatasaray forward and the scoreline remained goalless.
Nigeria were dealt a huge blow in the 35th minute following an injury to Osimhen, who could not continue and was replaced by Cyriel Dessers.
Fresh from securing a dream move to the English Premier League on transfer deadline day, Wolves striker Tolu Arokodare joined the fray at the interval, replacing Frank Onyeka.
He had been on the pitch for just five minutes when he made the most important contribution of the game with the opening goal.
The 24-year-old’s initial strike was blocked after a cut-back, but he was on the end of the rebound, firing into the net via the underside of the crossbar to give the Super Eagles the lead.
Rwanda’s Fiacre Ntwari thwarted both Moses Simon and Ademola Lookman, while Calvin Bassey produced an important block to keep the scores at 1-0.
The win sees Nigeria move up to third in Group C, although they remain six points behind leaders South Africa.
The Super Eagles head to Bloemfontein next Tuesday to face Bafana Bafana in a crucial qualifying match, knowing a win will boost their chances of booking a ticket at the 2026 tournament.
Olakitan is a young writer with a strong passion for sports, having gained experience with IndyPress and Nimelssa Press. His enthusiasm for sports inspired him to cover events both within his school and beyond. With a deep understanding of the game and a refined skillset, he brings sports coverage to a broad, global audience in a way that’s engaging and accessible.
