Eagles go for the win against Rwanda – Eguavoen

Despite securing their 2025 AFCON ticket and Group D top spot before the final round of qualifiers, the Super Eagles will go all out after victory against Rwanda on Monday (today), says head coach Augustine Eguavoen.

Nigeria sealed their place at Morocco 2025 ahead of their penultimate qualifier against Benin Republic in Abidjan on Thursday thanks to Libya’s 1-0 win over Rwanda in Kigali, meaning Eguaveon’s men have nothing but pride to play for against Amavubi – who still need a win to qualify.

For Eguavoen, the Rwanda game is important to maintain the team’s momentum even ahead of the 2026 World Cup qualifiers, which resume in March 2025.

“When the World Cup qualification comes, I don’t know if I will be in charge or not, but we want to win every game,” Eguavoen said at the pre-match interview on Sunday.

The Super Eagles are currently without three regular players, including 2024 CAF Player of the Year nominee Ademola Lookman, who left camp on Saturday after picking up a knock, while Ola Aina also returned to England at the request of his club, while goalkeeper Stanley Nwabali was excused after his father’s passing.

Eguavoen believes the absence of grieving goalkeeper Nwabali, Aina and the in-form Lookman will not halt their momentum.

“He (Lookman) is slightly injured and cannot play … he said he is at 70 percent,” Eguavoen said, adding that he was the one who allowed him to return to his club Atalanta.

“Nuno (Espirito, Nottingham Forrest coach) called me and he wanted Ola to come back as we had already qualified. I sanctioned it. It’s part of the relationships we build with the club’s sides,” the coach added.

The Super Eagles are not unaware that Amavubi are in the same 2026 FIFA World Cup qualification group as them and that they (Rwanda) are the next opponents when the World Cup qualification campaign resumes in March 2025.

According to the NFF, Monday’s meeting will see the return of former number one safeties Maduka Okoye and Bright Osayi-Samuel could start at right wing-back in the absence of Aina, with Bruno Onyemaechi at left wing-back and captain William Trrost-Ekong and Calvin Bassey at centre-back .

Wilfred Ndidi, Alex Iwobi, Frank Onyeka, Alhassan Yusuf Abdullahi, Fisayo Dele-Bashiru and Raphael Onyedika remain the options in the middle.

Victor Osimhen, whose goal earned the one point in Abidjan that took Nigeria to the top of the pool, will be hoping to score against Amavubi, having come quite close several times when he came on as a second-half substitute half in Kigali in September. .

He is also aiming to overtake former captain Segun Odegbami on the goals tally for Nigeria as they are both tied on 23 goals.

The absence of Lookman means so much will be expected of the fit-fighting and usually reliable Moses Simon, with Samuel Chukwueze, Sadiq Umar, Kelechi Iheanacho and Victor Boniface all in the race for slots at the fore.