Uyo, Nigeria, September 16, 2025 — It wasn’t pretty, but it was exactly what the doctor ordered. Nigeria’s Super Eagles scraped out a hard-fought 1-0 victory over Rwanda on Saturday night at the Godswill Akpabio International Stadium, giving their faltering 2026 FIFA World Cup qualifying campaign a much-needed shot in the arm. With the three points, the three-time African champions now sit third in Group C with 10 points, just one behind second-place Benin and six back from leaders South Africa—keeping their dreams of a return to the global stage very much alive.
The match was a tense, gritty affair that had the home crowd holding its breath more than once. Rwanda, who stunned Nigeria 2-1 back in March, parked the bus early and made life miserable for the Eagles’ attackers. Victor Osimhen thought he’d broken the deadlock in the eighth minute, bundling home a cross from Ademola Lookman, but the flag went up for a tight offside call. Osimhen’s night went from bad to worse when he limped off in the 34th minute with a knock to his left leg, leaving fans muttering about curses under their breath.
Enter the hero of the hour: Tolu Arokodare, the towering new signing from Wolverhampton Wanderers. Subbed on at halftime for midfielder Frank Onyeka, the big man brought the physical edge Nigeria had been missing up top. Just six minutes into the second half, he pounced on a scuffed shot from Ola Aina, volleying it in from practically on the goal line to send the stadium into a frenzy. From there, it was all about holding firm. Rwanda pushed late, forcing a couple of sharp saves from Stanley Nwabali, but the Eagles dug deep to see it out.
New head coach Eric Chelle, who took over amid the early-season woes, called it a “step in the right direction” after his side’s winless start that included draws with Lesotho, South Africa, and Zimbabwe, plus a shock loss to Benin. “We needed this win to build belief,” Chelle said post-match. “The boys showed character today.” With four games left, including a blockbuster clash against South Africa in Bloemfontein on Tuesday, the math still favors the Eagles if they string wins together. A victory there could flip the script, especially with whispers of a possible three-point deduction for Bafana Bafana over an ineligible player in a prior match—though FIFA’s ruling is pending.
Fans are buzzing online, with one X user posting, “Arokodare is a beast! Super Eagles back on track—let’s go get that World Cup spot!” Morocco’s already locked in as Africa’s first qualifier, and Tunisia’s joined the party, but Nigeria’s not out yet. If they can harness this momentum, the Stars and Stripes in ’26 might just see some green-white-green flair. Next up: That do-or-die date with South Africa. Game on.