Super Eagles Edge Rwanda 1-0 as Chelle Hails Team, Amrouche Slams Officiating

Super Eagles coach, Eric Chelle, has expressed delight after Nigeria secured a narrow 1-0 victory over Rwanda in their 2026 FIFA World Cup qualifier played on Saturday at the Godswill Akpabio Stadium, Uyo.

The only goal of the game came from Tolu Arokodare, whose strike gave the Eagles renewed hope in their qualification campaign.

Speaking after the match, Chelle applauded his players for dominating the encounter, especially in the first half. “I’m happy about the three points. I’m happy about the way the team played in the first half because we had 70% of the possession, and because of that, Rwanda was tired, and this is why in the second half, they didn’t press us when we scored the goal,” the Malian tactician said.

He added that the result boosts the team’s confidence ahead of their next crucial tie against South Africa. “So now we are happy because we won 1-0. And we can go to South Africa with a lot of ambitions,” he told reporters.

However, the game was not without concern. Star striker Victor Osimhen limped off with an injury, and Chelle confirmed the forward will undergo scans to assess the extent of the problem.

On the other side, Rwandan coach Adel Amrouche congratulated Nigeria for the win but voiced his displeasure at the officiating. “I don’t want to speak much about officiating because of what happened in the past. I don’t want to be banned again,” he said. “Both teams gave a good fight in the game, but the officiating was not the best.”

With the win, Nigeria now sit third in Group C of the qualifiers, six points adrift of leaders South Africa. The Eagles must defeat the Bafana Bafana on Tuesday and secure positive results in their remaining fixtures to keep their World Cup hopes alive.