The Super Eagles of Nigeria played out a goalless draw against Rwanda in Kigali on Tuesday, extending their unbeaten run in the AFCON 2025 qualifiers and leaving coach Augustine Eguavoen short of back-to-back wins.
After an impressive victory over Benin Republic just three days ago, Eguavoen was aiming to continue his perfect start with another win against the Wasps, footballrover reports.
But despite dominating much of the game, Nigeria had to settle for a point. Still, the Super Eagles held onto their position at the top of the group.
Nigeria controlled the first half, creating several dangerous chances.
The best opportunity came in the 22nd minute when Ademola Lookman, fresh off a brace from the previous match, found the back of the net with a powerful header.
However, the joy was short-lived as the referee disallowed the goal due to a foul by Victor Boniface in the build-up.
Earlier, Lookman had another chance after slicing through Rwanda’s defense, only to be denied by a fine save from goalkeeper Fiacre Ntwari.
As the second half rolled on, Simon Moses and Victor Osimhen kept the pressure on, forcing Ntwari into even more saves, but the elusive winning goal never materialised.
While fans might have hoped for more than a draw, the Super Eagles still had reason to celebrate.
Two key milestones were achieved:
First Back-to-Back Clean Sheets Since 2021
The Super Eagles achieved a defensive milestone by keeping two consecutive clean sheets in their recent qualifiers.
The victory over Benin Republic and their recent draw against Rwanda marks the first time since October/November 2021 that Nigeria’s national team has managed back-to-back shutouts.
Unbeaten Streak Against Rwanda Stretched to Six
Nigeria extended their unbeaten run against Rwanda to six matches.
The Super Eagles have never lost to Rwanda in senior international competitions as they sealed off their dominance in this fixture.
Though victory slipped away, Nigeria’s goalless draw leaves them in strong position in the race for AFCON 2025 qualification.
Up next, the Super Eagles will face Libya in October, first on home soil before a return clash in Tripoli eight days later.
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