The Super Eagles' 2-1 loss to Rwanda has led stand-in coach Austin Eguavoen to acknowledge that his tactical efforts weren’t enough to secure a positive result in the final Group D match of the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) qualifiers.
Eguavoen's frustration was clear as he spoke openly in the post-match press conference.
Despite the team’s early goal and a determined push for a second, an unexpected lapse in defence allowed Rwanda to capitalise, a scenario that caught the Super Eagles off guard.
Eguavoen admits ‘below standard' performance cost Eagles victory
The coach noted that, despite his best efforts to adjust the formation, the changes failed to spark a turnaround.
“The performance was below standard and I feel very sad. This result was not what we planned for. We scored and were pushing for a second goal, but, quite against the run of play, we conceded. I tried to change the formation, but it didn’t work,” he said.
“These things happen on certain days, and today was one of those days. When we conceded the second goal, I made changes by introducing two strikers, yet it still didn’t work.
“We keep trying; football is all about winning, losing, or drawing. But I believe we have a good squad, a very strong one.”
Eguavoen nevertheless expressed confidence in the long-term capabilities of the Super Eagles, but he couldn't deny that Monday night's performance left much to be desired.
“Unfortunately, it just didn’t happen for us today. I still believe in this team. It has character and a strong mentality.
“Like I said earlier, we conceded against the run of play, and then, late in the game, we conceded again. At that point, it became very difficult to recover,” he concluded.
