World Cup Qualifier: Chelle Praises Players, Focuses On Zimbabwe Clash

After a convincing victory in Kigali, Super Eagles head coach Eric Chelle has turned his attention to their next World Cup qualifier against Zimbabwe.

Nigeria secured a 2-0 win over Rwanda in their Matchday 5 encounter at the Amahoro Stadium.

Speaking at the post-match press conference, Chelle commended his players for their resilience and emphasized the need to prepare for the upcoming game.

“It was a tough match. Rwanda has a strong team, but I’m proud of my players’ performance. We worked hard despite having only two full training sessions. In the second half, we controlled the game well—great effort from the team.”

“I’m happy with the system we implemented. We experimented with two different setups, but there’s still room for improvement. This was just the first game, and now we shift focus to the next challenge,” he added.

The Super Eagles will aim to maintain their strong form when they host Zimbabwe in Uyo next week.

2023 African Player of the Year, Victor Osimhen, was the standout performer as Nigeria Super Eagles secured a crucial 2-0 victory over Rwanda in a 2026 FIFA World Cup qualifier on match day five.

Heading into the encounter at the Stade Amahoro in Kigali, the Super Eagles were desperate for a win to revive their fading qualification hopes. And it was Osimhen who rose to the occasion, scoring both goals to hand Nigeria all three points and leaving Rwanda just one point above the Eagles on the log.

The Galatasaray striker opened the scoring in the 11th minute, expertly finishing off a delightful free-kick delivery from Ademola Lookman. He doubled Nigeria’s advantage just before half-time, chipping the Rwandan goalkeeper in the 45th minute to net his 25th international goal.

Osimhen’s first-half brace was enough to seal the victory, as Nigeria saw out the second half with a disciplined performance. The result takes the Super Eagles to six points in Group C, reigniting their hopes of qualifying for the 2026 FIFA World Cup.

This victory also marks a winning start for new head coach Eric Chelle, who took charge of the team earlier this year. Nigeria will now look to build on this result when they host Zimbabwe in Uyo on Tuesday, March 25, in their matchday six qualifier.