Amavubi's World Cup qualification faded away after narrowly losing 1-0 at the hands of Nigeria at Godswill Akpabio International Stadium in Uyo on Saturday, September 6. In a high-stakes match, the Super Eagles secured a vital win which left them breathing a new life into their qualification hopes. The only goal of the match came in the 51st minute when Tolu Arokodare capitalized on a loose ball in the penalty area, slotting it past Rwanda’s goalkeeper Fiacre Ntwari to give Nigeria a crucial three points. The first half ended goalless, with both teams cautious in their approach. Nigeria’s defense, marshalled by Calvin Bassey, held firm despite Rwanda’s tactical shifts in the second half. Nigeria suffered a blow as star striker Victor Osimhen limped off in the first half, to be replaced by Cyril Dessers. Rwanda have been struggling recently and their loss in Uyo saw them drop to fourth place, having failed to win any of their last five matches across all competitions. On the other side, the victory moved Nigeria to 10 points in third place in Group C, making the race for World Cup qualification even tighter. Group C standings after match day 7 South Africa 16 points Benin 11 points Nigeria 10 points Rwanda 8 points Lesotho 6 points Zimbabwe 4 points
