Rwanda 0-2 Nigeria: Victor Osimhen brace seals crucial World Cup qualification win for Super Eagles | OneFootball

The Super Eagles are facing a huge battle to qualify for next summer’s World Cup

Two-goal hero: Victor Osimhen scored twice as Nigeria beat Rwanda

AFP via Getty Images

Nigeria’s 2026 World Cup qualification campaign is back on track following a 2-0 win over Rwanda on matchday five with Victor Osimhen scoring a brace.

Furthermore, Nigeria hadn’t scored away to Rwanda in just under two decades, so there was plenty at stake for new manager Eric Chelle in his first game in charge since being appointed at the beginning of the year, replacing Augustine Eguavoen.

Chelle named a strong starting XI, featuring many players with Premier League experience. Ola Aina lined up at left-back, Alex Iwobi partnered Wilfred Ndidi in midfield and Calvin Bassey continued his partnership with captain, and former Watford star William Troost-Ekong in central defence.

Though the opening goal of the game came via a combination of a player tipped to return to England this summer and a player heavily linked with a Premier League transfer.

From Ademola Lookman’s free-kick, Osimhen peeled away to the back post, gambling on the delivery being inch-perfect, and made no mistake from close range to open his account in World Cup qualification.

The visitors were by far the better side before and following the goal. Troost-Ekong perhaps should have done better when picked out twice by Lookman at corners, whilst Rwanda goalkeeper Fiacre Ntwari made a brilliant finger-tip save to deny Moses Simon.

However, right on the stroke of half-time, Osimhen doubled the lead as he pinched the ball ahead of his marker, raced through before producing a lovely dinked finish over Ntwari to leave the hosts with a huge mountain to climb in the second half.

Rwanda did win the previous meeting between the two nations back in November, but there was to be no repeat as Nigeria saw out the rest of the game with relative ease to secure their first win of the qualification campaign.

This result coupled with South Africa’s win over Lesotho sees Rwanda slip one place to third. The Super Eagles, however, are up to fourth and a point behind their opponents as they prepare to face Zimbabwe in another huge fixture next week.