AFCON 2025: We played below expectations against Rwanda, says Eguavoen

Super Eagles head coach Augustine Eguavoen has expressed disappointment following his team’s 1-2 defeat to Rwanda in the ongoing AFCON 2025 qualifiers.

Speaking after the game, which took place at the Godswill Akpabio International Stadium in Uyo, Eguavoen admitted that the team’s performance fell below expectations.

The match saw a goalless first half before Rwanda stunned the home crowd with a strong second-half display.

Reflecting on the outcome, Eguavoen described it as a sad day for the team and revealed that his game plan was geared towards securing a victory.

The loss is a significant setback for Nigeria’s qualification hopes, raising questions about the team’s preparedness and execution during critical matches.

He, however, expressed confidence in the players’ ability, as football is all about winning, losing, or drawing.

“Below standard, I feel very sad right now. It was not what we planned for.

“We scored, and then against the run of play we conceded, and I tried to change formation, but it didn’t work.

“We conceded a second goal, we changed the game formation, brought in two strikers, and it just didn’t work.

“Football is about winning, losing, or drawing. I think we have a strong squad, but it just didn’t happen for us today. But I still very much believe in this team,” he said.

Samuel Chukwuze had scored the only Nigerian goal, and within the 10-minute interval, the Rwandan Samuel Marie equalised through a run of play.

Also speaking after the match, Rwanda Coach, Torsten Spittler, said he was proud of his boys as they played according to instructions.

Spitter expressed happiness for defeating the Super Eagles on Nigerian soil, adding that he told his boys to frustrate the Super Eagles by playing their best.

“I’m very proud of my boys and how they played here in Nigeria. I think it was well deserved. We defended well and played good football.

“Maybe today is our lucky day and a happy day for us, even though we have not qualified for the AFCON, but I think we are happy to have come here and get three points.

“We gave them a hard time from the beginning; you could see in the faces of Nigerian players that they didn’t enjoy this evening,” he said.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that in spite of the defeat, the Super Eagles topped the group with 10 points to qualify for the AFCON scheduled for Morocco in 2025.