Rwanda coach Frank Spittler has admitted that his team faces a daunting challenge against the Super Eagles in their final AFCON 2025 qualifier.
Speaking after a shocking 1-0 defeat to Libya at Kigali’s Amahoro Stadium, the German tactician painted a vivid picture of the uphill battle ahead, Footballrover reports.
His openly acknowledged of Nigeria’s superiority ahead of the AFCON qualifying clash.
Rwanda’s loss to Libya came after a flurry of missed chances, culminating in an 84th-minute winner by Fahd Saad Mohamed.
The defeat leaves Rwanda’s AFCON dreams hanging by a thread. With just five points from five matches, the Wasps must secure a historic victory in Uyo while hoping for Libya to overcome Benin in Tripoli.
A monumental challenge against the Super Eagles
Despite the grim odds, Spittler remains optimistic. He emphasised that even the slimmest chance to qualify warrants an all-out effort.
Rallying his squad, he urged them to play a game that would be recorded in history, regardless of the final outcome.
Acknowledging Nigeria’s star-studded lineup, Spittler admitted that beating the Super Eagles in their backyard is no small feat.
However, he highlighted the unpredictable nature of football, reminding his players that the memories of competing against some of Africa’s best will last a lifetime.
“As long as there’s a chance to qualify, we will do everything for it, so for sure we have to win in Nigeria, and that’s what we are trying.
“The chance to win in Nigeria is not very high, but there’s always a chance, and that’s what I tell my players.
“Even if I don’t know the other result now today, the result is that the match will not count for anything, then it’s a big match to play against some of the best players in the world.
“This is what I will tell my players. When you are a grandfather, you will talk about this match, and it doesn’t really matter then if you are qualifying for Afcon or not, but to try your best and to show good football.
“We showed it in the last match against Nigeria. We can have a good match against them. It’s always the question of are you scoring or are you not scoring.
“There are bad days like today, and maybe we have a very nice day in four days,” the coach told reporters.
The Super Eagles, who have already secured the top spot in Group D, remain favorites. Rwanda, however, hopes to script an unlikely underdog story on November 18.
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