Super Eagles coach, Eric Chelle has said he is happy over the team’s win against Rwanda in a 2026 World Cup qualifier in Uyo on Saturday.
Tolu Arokodare scored the goal that separated both sides, giving a glimmer of hope to the Super Eagles in their qualification journey for the tournament.
In his post-match briefing, the Malian tactician praised his team for getting all three points at home against the Amavubis.
“I’m happy about the three points. I’m happy about the way the team played in the first half because we had 70% of the possession, and because of that, Rwanda was tired, and this is why in the second half, they didn’t press us when we scored the goal,” Chelle said.
The coach believes the win gives the Super Eagles hope heading to another crunch encounter with South Africa on Tuesday.
“So now we are happy because we won 1-0. And we can go to South Africa with a lot of ambitions,” the coach told the gathering at the Godswill Akpabio Stadium in Uyo, Akwa Ibom.
Star striker Victor Osimhen limped off in the game following an injury. But Chelle says the player will undergo a scan to determine the extent of the injury concern
Meanwhile, Chelle’s Rwandan counterpart, Adel Amrouche, questioned the officiating in the match.
While he congratulated Nigeria on the victory, Amrouche faulted some of the decisions of the officials in the keenly contested match.
“I don’t want to speak much about officiating because of what happened in the past. I don’t want to be banned again,” he told journalists in the coastal state of Akwa Ibom on Saturday night.
“Both teams gave a good fight in the game, but the officiating was not the best.”
The win takes Nigeria to third on the Group C log for the World Cup qualifiers, six points behind leaders South Africa. With three more games to go in the qualification race, Nigeria face the Bafana Bafana, needing a victory in that game and the remainder of the matches.
