The Amavubi National team will this Friday March 21,2025 host the Super Eagles of Nigeria in a World Cup Qualifiers game at the Amahoro Stadiums in Rwanda, Kigali.
Rwanda sit atop of Group C in the World Cup qualifiers with 7 points from four games and will be aiming to add to their margin and move them closer to their first-ever qualification to the World Cup.
The Amavubi team have impressed in the qualifiers, collecting seven points from their initial four matches and will capitalize on the opportunity to exploit home ground which is crucial.
Rwanda resilient defending record of having lost just once in the qualifiers gives them confidence as they advance to this game.
Nigeria, by contrast, has had a dismal beginning to their campaign, ranking fifth with a paltry three points.
With so much riding on it, Nigeria will be under pressure to deliver and avoid any further hiccups in their quest to make the 2026 World Cup.
The match seems like a tough encounter given the both teams previous meeting.
For the past seven meetings between the two nations, at most two goals have been scored per game, which underlines the close and low-scoring nature of the meetings.
The Super Eagles of Nigeria have never won a game in Rwanda, drawing all three of their visits to the East African nation.
The two sides last met, in November 2023, with Rwanda getting their maiden win over Nigeria, coming from behind to win the game with a 2-1 scoreline in Uyo.
New Rwanda coach Adel Amrouche will be desperate to make an impression with a win over Nigeria in his first game in charge for the Amavubi on Friday.
For Nigeria, it is a do-or-die match as they are keen to forget their World Cup disappointment in 2022 and stay alive in the qualifying series for 2026.
With both teams starving for crucial points, the match will be a nail-biting, action-packed encounter.
Group standing
Joseph M. Vincent