Nigeria-born Oldham Athletic U-19 Head Coach, Chukwuma Akuneto, has exclusively told Completesports.com that the Super Eagles must approach Friday’s 2026 FIFA World Cup qualifier against Rwanda with caution and composure to avoid conceding an early goal.
Akuneto emphasised that, given the importance of the match to Nigeria’s hopes of qualifying for their seventh FIFA World Cup finals, the team must remain disciplined, as the Amavubi may adopt a counter-attacking strategy. He labelled the fixture a “must-win” for the Super Eagles.
Speaking from his base in London, the 47-year-old highlighted the significance of the clash between Group C leaders Rwanda and fifth-placed Nigeria.
Also Read: ‘We Want To Win ‘ — Chelle Declares Super Eagles Ready For Battle Against Rwanda
Rwanda sit atop the group with seven points—level with South Africa and Benin Republic, who are second and third, respectively, on goal difference. Lesotho are fourth with five points, while three-time African champions Nigeria are fifth with just three points from four matches. Zimbabwe, Nigeria’s matchday six opponents at the Godswill Akpabio Stadium in Uyo on Tuesday, are bottom with two points.
As the high-stakes encounter looms, Akuneto warned that Coach Eric Sekou Chelle’s men must be tactically astute to avoid the risk of conceding first while chasing an early goal.
“The Super Eagles need to be very cautious. It is a must-win game, no doubt, but they must be smart enough not to fall into the trap of going all out and then conceding the first goal,” Akuneto said.
“They need to be pragmatic, calm, and assured in their approach.
“We can win the game in a moment, so caution must be our watchword while we push for the victory.
“I am sure the Rwandans will not attack fully but will set traps and look to catch us on the break.
Also Read: ‘It’s An Honour’ — Lookman Speaks About Status As Africa’s Best Player, Mission Against Rwanda
“That said, I believe the coaching crew have done their homework, and the players are fully aware of what is at stake. They all want to play at the World Cup. I wish Nigeria the very best,” Akuneto concluded.
The match is scheduled to kick off at 5pm (WAT) inside the 45,508-capacity Amahoro National Stadium in Gasabo District, Kigali.
A victory for the Super Eagles would reignite their seventh FIFA World Cup finals qualification hopes, having previously appeared in the tournament six times—in the USA (1994), France (1998), Korea/Japan (2002), South Africa (2010), Brazil (2014), and Qatar (2018).
The fixture will also mark Coach Eric Sekou Chelle’s debut in charge of the Super Eagles after succeeding Finidi George, who stepped down following four matches at the helm. Finidi led Nigeria to a 2-1 win over Ghana and a 2-0 defeat against Mali – both in friendlies – as well as a 1-1 draw with South Africa in Uyo and a 2-1 loss to Benin Republic in Abidjan in the World Cup qualifiers.
The Nigeria Football Federation Technical Director, Austine Eguavoen, only handled the Super Eagles in the interim and guided the team to qualify for the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations which Morocco will host from 21 December 2025 to
18 January 2026.
By Sab Osuji
De Nigeriaanse voetballegende Nwankwo Akuneto heeft de Super Eagles gewaarschuwd voor hun aanstaande WK-kwalificatiewedstrijd tegen Rwanda in 2026. Akuneto, die zelf jarenlang voor het Nigeriaanse nationale team heeft gespeeld, benadrukt het belang van kalmte en focus tijdens de wedstrijd.
Akuneto waarschuwt de Super Eagles om vooral een vroeg tegendoelpunt te vermijden. Hij benadrukt dat het cruciaal is om geconcentreerd te blijven en niet in paniek te raken als de tegenstander op voorsprong komt. Een vroeg tegendoelpunt kan het zelfvertrouwen van het team aantasten en de druk verhogen om snel gelijk te maken.
De voormalige spits adviseert de Super Eagles om geduldig te blijven en hun kansen af te wachten. Door rustig te blijven en het spel te controleren, kunnen ze uiteindelijk de wedstrijd naar hun hand zetten en de overwinning behalen.
Akuneto benadrukt ook het belang van teamwork en communicatie binnen het team. Hij moedigt de spelers aan om elkaar te ondersteunen en samen te werken om de tegenstander te verslaan. Door als een eenheid te spelen en elkaar te helpen, kunnen de Super Eagles succesvol zijn in hun WK-kwalificatiecampagne.
Als Nigeria hoopt zich te kwalificeren voor het WK in 2026, zullen ze moeten luisteren naar de wijze woorden van Akuneto en zijn advies ter harte nemen. Met de juiste mindset en strategie kunnen de Super Eagles hun doel bereiken en hun fans trots maken op het internationale podium.
