Rwanda head coach Torsten Spittler hailed his team’s resilience in the face of an impressive onslaught after they held Nigeria to a goalless draw in their second AFCON 2025 qualifying match.
Despite facing one of Africa’s football powerhouses, the Amavubi dug deep at the Amahoro National Stadium in Kigali on Tuesday, frustrating a Super Eagles side that came into the game brimming with confidence.
Nigeria, coming off a 3-0 win over Benin Republic, were hoping to extend their lead at the top of Group D. With goals from Ademola Lookman (a brace) and Victor Osimhen in their previous game, the Super Eagles looked to be in confident form but found themselves frustrated by Rwanda’s disciplined defense throughout the encounter.
The Super Eagles dominated possession and created several opportunities. Ademola Lookman thought he had given Nigeria the lead in the 22nd minute, only to see his goal ruled out controversially.
Despite more chances falling to the visitors, Nigeria failed to find the back of the net.
Spittler praises Super Eagles quality
Speaking after the match, Spittler was full of praise for his team’s effort.
“I’m very happy not only because of the result but also the way we played. It’s always important that you make a good match, and then normally the results will come,” he said.
“Everybody could see this Nigerian team, especially the forward line, is world-class, and we also had a few chances where you could see the difference between our strikers and their strikers.”
Nigeria currently top Group D with four points, followed by Benin Republic in second place. Rwanda sit in third with two points from their first two games, while Libya trail in fourth with just one point.