Super Eagles head coach Eric Chelle has demanded nothing less than victory when Nigeria take on Rwanda in their crucial 2026 FIFA World Cup qualifier on Saturday, September 6, at the Godswill Akpabio Stadium in Uyo, Bold Sports reports.
With South Africa’s 3-0 win over Lesotho and Benin’s 1-0 victory against Zimbabwe on Friday, Nigeria have slipped further behind in Group C, piling pressure on Chelle’s men. The Super Eagles currently sit fourth with seven points, trailing Rwanda with eight points, Benin with 11 points, and leaders South Africa with 16 points.
Speaking during his pre-match press conference, Chelle admitted Rwanda are a strong side but insisted Nigeria must stick to their game plan and focus on securing maximum points.
“Rwanda are a good team with a good technical staff. For us, we are ready for our game plan,” the head coach said. “I want my players to focus only on this game. We need to win this game, then we will see what happens.”
More Read
Chelle also addressed the situation surrounding Ademola Lookman, reaffirming his trust in the Atalanta forward despite his recent transfer saga.
“Can we do a list without the best player in Africa? It is my job to see if he can play minutes, but I can’t imagine making a list without Lookman. I trust him, I’m so confident about him,” Chelle said.
Lookman endured a turbulent summer transfer window after Inter Milan’s €45 million bid for the 27-year-old was rejected by Atalanta. The failed move sparked tensions, with Lookman submitting an official transfer request, deleting Atalanta-related posts from his Instagram, and skipping training sessions.
Despite the fallout, Lookman has been included in Atalanta’s Champions League squad for the 2025-26 season, suggesting he may be reintegrated into the team at least until the January transfer window reopens.
Nigeria will be banking on the quality and experience of players like Lookman to inspire them against Rwanda. A victory on Saturday is crucial to reignite the Super Eagles’ World Cup qualification hopes ahead of their high-stakes clash with South Africa in Bloemfontein on Tuesday, September 9.
© Bold Sports Media. All rights reserved. If sharing, kindly credit Bold Sports as the source and include a link to the original post. Unauthorised use is prohibited.
