Nigeria climb to third in Group C after Arokodare’s second-half strike secures crucial victory
UYO, Nigeria – The Super Eagles managed a 1-0 victory over Rwanda in their 2026 FIFA World Cup qualifier at Godswill Akpabio International Stadium on Saturday. It wasn’t pretty, but Toluwalase Arokodare’s 51st-minute goal was enough to move Nigeria to third place in Group C and keep their World Cup dreams alive, at least for now.
Arokodare Steps Up When Osimhen Can’t
Nigeria spent most of the first half looking frustrated against Rwanda’s well-organized defense. They thought they’d broken through early when Victor Osimhen tucked away Ademola Lookman’s cross in the eighth minute, but the offside flag went up. Whether it was the right call seems debatable, replays suggested it could have gone either way.
Then disaster struck. Osimhen pulled up with what appeared to be a muscle injury in the 35th minute and had to come off. Cyriel Dessers took his place, but you could sense the worry in the stadium. Losing your star striker before a huge clash with South Africa next week? Not ideal timing.
“We knew Rwanda would make it difficult for us,” interim coach Augustine Eguavoen said afterward. “The important thing was getting the three points to keep our qualification hopes alive.”
That’s where Arokodare came in. The Wolverhampton Wanderers forward replaced midfielder Frank Onyeka at halftime, a bold move that paid off. Six minutes later, he was bundling home the winner after Ola Aina’s shot was spilled by Rwanda keeper Fiacre Ntwari. Not the most elegant goal you’ll see, but they all count the same.
Rwanda Showed Some Fight, Eventually
For much of the game, Rwanda seemed content to sit back and frustrate Nigeria. Can’t really blame them – they’re not exactly blessed with world-class talent, and making it hard for the Super Eagles probably represented their best chance of getting something from the match.
Stanley Nwabali didn’t have much to do in the Nigeria goal until the final 20 minutes, when Rwanda finally decided to have a go. Even then, he handled everything comfortably enough.
Credit where it’s due though, Ntwari kept Rwanda in the game with a fantastic double save on 61 minutes, somehow keeping out efforts from Moses Simon and Lookman within seconds of each other. The 25-year-old has quietly become a decent goalkeeper, which might explain why Rwanda haven’t been completely out of their depth in this qualifying campaign.
The Math Still Looks Tricky for Nigeria
This win moves Nigeria to 10 points in Group C, but let’s be honest, they’re still in a tough spot. South Africa sit pretty at the top with 16 points, while Benin Republic are just one point ahead in second place. Rwanda stays fourth with four points after their third loss.
Current Group C Standings:
- South Africa: 16 points
- Benin Republic: 11 points
- Nigeria: 10 points
- Rwanda: 4 points
- Zimbabwe: 2 points
- Lesotho: 1 point
Nigeria’s path to qualification remains achievable, but there’s not much room for error. Four games left, including that South Africa showdown and a tricky trip to face Benin. Miss out on one of those two automatic qualification spots, and they’ll be hoping for a playoff spot at best.
Osimhen’s Injury Timing Couldn’t Be Worse
You have to feel for Nigeria with this Osimhen situation. Losing your best player before the most important match of your qualifying campaign? That’s just cruel timing.
“Victor felt something in his muscle and we couldn’t take any risks,” Eguavoen explained. “We’ll assess him properly before deciding on Tuesday’s lineup.”
Maybe Arokodare’s performance offers some hope. The 24-year-old looked more physical than what Nigeria had been getting from their attack, and his goal showed he can be in the right place at the right time. Still, asking him to replace Osimhen’s goals and presence against South Africa seems like a big ask.
Tuesday Will Tell the Real Story
The clash against South Africa in Bloemfontein on Tuesday feels like make-or-break territory now. Bafana Bafana know they’re in the driver’s seat with that six-point cushion, but stranger things have happened in football.
Rwanda, meanwhile, will try to get their first win of the qualifying round against Zimbabwe in Johannesburg. Coach Torsten Spittler seemed to find some positives despite the loss.
“We showed good organization and created chances in the second half,” the German said. “We must build on this performance against Zimbabwe.”
Fair enough, though you suspect Rwanda’s realistic hope at this point might be avoiding last place in the group.
