Rwanda coach happy after goalless draw against Nigeria in Kigali

Nigeria, fresh off a commanding 3-0 victory over Benin Republic, entered the match in confident form. With goals from Ademola Lookman and Victor Osimhen propelling them to victory in their previous encounter, the Super Eagles were looking to maintain their dominance at the top of Group D.

However, the Rwandan defense stood firm, frustrating Nigeria throughout the encounter. Lookman thought he had opened the scoring in the 22nd minute, but his goal was disallowed due to a foul by Victor Boniface in the buildup. Despite several clear chances, including opportunities for Lookman and Boniface, Nigeria struggled to find the back of the net.

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Coach Austin Eguavoen introduced Victor Osimhen and Moses Simon early in the second half to enhance the Super Eagles’ attacking threat, but Rwanda’s defense, led by an inspired Fiacre Ntwari in goal, held strong. The result extended Rwanda’s unbeaten streak under Spittler to seven games in eight fixtures.

After the match, Spittler praised his team’s discipline and composure, especially against a formidable Nigerian attack.

“I’m very happy not only because of the result but also the way we played. It’s always important that you make a good match, and then normally the results will come,” Spittler said. He also acknowledged the quality of Nigeria’s forward line, adding, “Everybody could see this Nigerian team, especially the forward line, is world-class, and we also had a few chances where you could see the difference between our strikers and theirs.”

With this draw, Rwanda now have two points from their opening two matches, while Nigeria remain top of Group D with four points. Both teams will be looking to build on these results as they continue their campaigns for AFCON 2025 qualification.