Nigeria vs Rwanda Afcon qualifiers: Preview
Background
The Super Eagles of Nigeria will lock horns with the Amavubi of Rwanda in a crucial Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) qualifier match on June 7, 2023. This highly anticipated encounter will take place at the Stade de Kigali in Kigali, Rwanda.
Both teams will be looking to secure a victory to enhance their chances of qualifying for the prestigious continental tournament. Nigeria is currently at the top of Group L with nine points from four matches, while Rwanda is placed third with four points from as many games.
Team News
Nigeria
The Super Eagles will be without the services of injured duo Victor Osimhen and Samuel Kalu. However, they have welcomed back experienced goalkeeper Maduka Okoye, who missed the last international window due to injury.
Alex Iwobi and Wilfred Ndidi are expected to play key roles for Nigeria in this match. The former has been in impressive form for Everton this season, while the latter is a defensive stalwart for Leicester City.
Rwanda
The Amavubi will be led by their captain and star player, Jacques Tuyisenge. The 30-year-old forward has been in scintillating form for his club APR FC this season, scoring 15 goals in 25 league appearances.
Rwanda will also be relying on the services of midfielder Djihad Bizimana, who plays for Egyptian club Pyramids FC. Bizimana is a creative player who can unlock defenses with his incisive passing.
Match Preview
The match between Nigeria and Rwanda is expected to be a closely contested affair. The Super Eagles will be looking to maintain their unbeaten record in the qualifiers, while the Amavubi will be determined to pull off an upset and boost their chances of qualification.
Nigeria will be the favorites going into the match, but Rwanda has proven to be a resilient team in the past. They held Nigeria to a 0-0 draw in the reverse fixture in September 2022, and they will be hoping to repeat that feat or even go one better in Kigali.
The match will be televised live on SuperSport and other major sports channels across Africa. Kick-off is scheduled for 7 pm Nigerian time (6 pm Rwanda time).
