Rwanda captain Djihad Bizimana is confident his side will come out victorious against Nigeria on Saturday, despite going into the tie as underdogs.
The Amavubi travel to the Godswill Akpabio International Stadium in Uyo to battle the Super Eagles in a crucial World Cup qualifier for both sides.
They are ranked 147th in the FIFA World rankings and face a tough battle against Nigeria who are ranked 44th in the world.
Rwanda will also be buoyed by their last visit to Nigeria, where they recorded a shock 2-1 win over Nigeria in an African Cup of Nations qualifying match in 2024.
However, the Super Eagles were victorious in the last meeting between both sides in March, as Victor Osimhen netted twice in the first half for a 2-0 win.
“The underdog (label) I don’t accept. We are also a team that can compete, we showed it the last time that we were here,” Bizimana said at the pre-match press conference.
“We are coming here to play good football and try to win the game. Because if you see on the table we have a chance if we win. We have a chance to qualify for the World Cup”, he added.
In other Group C matches decided on Friday, South Africa claimed a comfortable 3-0 win over Lesotho, while Benin Republic edged Zimbabwe by a lone goal.
Mohau Nkota, Lyle Foster and Oswin Appollis netted to guide Bafana Bafana to a convincing win and extend their gap at the top of the group.
Elsewhere, Steve Mounie scored the only goal of the game in the second half as Benin Republic moved second on the group, five points behind South Africa.
Rwanda sit third with eight points, while Nigeria are fourth with seven points.
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.
