World Cup 2026 qualifiers: Nigeria claim victory over Rwanda and regain confidence | OneFootball

Thanks to Arokodare, the Super Eagles return to winning ways and reignite their qualifying campaign

World Cup 2026 qualifiers/ Nigeria 1-0 Rwanda

Nigeria defeated Rwanda 1-0 this Saturday, September 6, 2025, at the Godswill Akpabio Stadium, during matchday seven of the 2026 World Cup qualifiers. Tolu Arokodare scored the only goal of the game, earning the Super Eagles three crucial points.

Nigeria entered this match under immense pressure following a string of disappointing qualification results. Eric Chelle's men absolutely needed a win against the Rwandan Amavubi to keep their qualification hopes alive.

A vital win in the race to the World Cup

The first half proved frustrating for the Super Eagles. Despite dominating possession, they were repeatedly stymied by a well-organized, compact Rwandan defense. Victor Osimhen thought he had opened the scoring as early as the 7th minute with a simple tap-in, but the assistant referee flagged for offside. The Galatasaray striker was then forced off in the 34th minute, replaced by Cyriel Dessers after picking up an injury from a heavy Rwandan tackle.

After the break, Eric Chelle made a tactical change, bringing on Tolu Arokodare for Frank Onyeka. The substitution paid off instantly as the Wolverhampton striker needed only a few minutes to make his mark. In the 51st minute, Arokodare found the back of the net with an acrobatic finish from six yards out. This clinical strike finally unlocked a match that had threatened to stagnate.

This victory puts Nigeria on 10 points from seven matches and keeps them firmly in contention for direct qualification to the 2026 World Cup. The Super Eagles now sit third in Group C, behind South Africa (16 points) and Benin (11 points).