Rwanda’s Amavubi (Bees) delivered a shocking 2-1 victory over Nigeria’s Super Eagles at the Godswill Akpabio Stadium on Monday, dashing any hopes of a triumphant conclusion to the qualifiers for the 35th Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON).
Despite already securing top spot in their group, the Super Eagles were outplayed by a resolute Rwandan side, who capitalized on defensive lapses to secure a historic win.
The Super Eagles, who dominated their group throughout the qualifying campaign, failed to find rhythm or consistency against the visitors.
With key player Ademola Lookman absent due to an injury sustained against Benin Republic, Nigeria’s attack lacked sharpness.
The sparse crowd in Uyo saw little action in the first half.
Victor Boniface, starting as the central striker, failed to make an impact.
His 24th-minute header from a Moses Simon cross went astray, while Kelechi Iheanacho’s well-placed shot was thwarted by Rwanda’s goalkeeper, Fiacre Ntwari, shortly before halftime.
Substitute Samuel Chukwueze injected some energy into Nigeria’s play after coming on for Iheanacho at the start of the second half.
The Italy-based winger made an immediate impact in the 63rd minute, weaving through three defenders before unleashing a powerful strike to give Nigeria a 1-0 lead.
Chukwueze’s brilliance offered a glimmer of hope, but the Eagles failed to capitalize.
Boniface missed a clear chance in the 68th minute after excellent build-up play involving Chukwueze and Fisayo Dele-Bashiru.
Rwanda equalized in the 72nd minute when substitute Marie Gueulette took advantage of slack defending to head home from a free kick.
Just three minutes later, the Amavubi struck again, punishing another defensive lapse with a swift attack that saw the ball slip past Nigeria goalkeeper Maduka Okoye.
Nigeria’s inability to respond highlighted a lackluster performance across the board, leaving fans and analysts questioning their readiness for the upcoming AFCON tournament in Côte d’Ivoire.
While the victory was a historic achievement for Rwanda, it proved bittersweet as Benin Republic’s goalless draw against Libya ended the Amavubi’s chances of qualification.
In brighter news for Nigeria, Ademola Lookman was announced as one of five nominees for the CAF African Player of the Year award, alongside Morocco’s Achraf Hakimi, Ivory Coast’s Simon Adingra, Guinea’s Serhou Guirassy, and South Africa’s Ronwen Williams.
The award will be presented on December 16 in Morocco, offering a rare note of celebration for Nigerian football after a night to forget in Uyo.
