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Nigeria achieved their first victory in the 2026 World Cup qualifying campaign on Friday, thanks to a double from striker Victor Osimhen, leading to a 2-0 win against Rwanda at the Amahoro Stadium in Kigali.
The Galatasaray striker scored two goals in the first half, marking his initial contribution in the qualifying series and bringing his national team total to 25 goals, surpassing Segun Odegbami to become Nigeria’s second all-time leading scorer after the late Rashidi Yekini.
Despite an early injury scare when he fell awkwardly in the first minute, Osimhen opened the scoring in the 11th minute, finishing a lofty free kick from Ademola Lookman with a well-placed touch at the far post.
He extended Nigeria's lead just before halftime, calmly slotting the ball past the Rwandan goalkeeper after evading a defender to reach a pass.
The second half saw few opportunities, with Nigeria’s goalkeeper, Stanley Nwabali, being rarely tested. This match also marked the debut of coach Eric Chelle, who began his tenure with a victory, marking Nigeria’s first win against Rwanda at the Amahoro Stadium in two decades.
Following this result, Nigeria climbed one spot in the standings, taking the fourth position with six points from five matches. The Super Eagles are currently below Rwanda (third with seven points) and Benin Republic (second with eight points), while South Africa leads the African qualifying Group C with 10 points after their own 2-0 win against Lesotho.
After a slow start to their campaign, which included three draws and one loss in their first four matches, Nigeria’s aspirations to qualify for the 2026 World Cup hosted by the USA, Mexico, and Canada rely on winning their remaining matches.
Following their victory over Rwanda, the Super Eagles will host their next game against Zimbabwe at the Godswill Akpabio Stadium in Uyo next Tuesday. Zimbabwe currently sits at the bottom of the group with three points.
