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Nigeria kept their World Cup qualifying hopes alive with a hard-fought 1-0 win over Rwanda in Uyo on Saturday, thanks to a decisive strike from Tolu Arokodare, Footynaija.com reports.
The Super Eagles, under pressure in Group C, came into the contest desperate for three points after a stuttering campaign that had left them in fourth place.
Head coach Eric Chelle made bold calls in his starting XI, leaving captain William Troost-Ekong on the bench and handing a debut to 20-year-old Benjamin Fredrick.
Ademola Lookman, still adjusting after a collapsed summer move from Atalanta to Inter Milan, also started, while Victor Osimhen led the line.
Nigeria thought they had drawn first blood in the 13th minute when Osimhen tapped in from Lookman’s cross-shot, but the Napoli striker’s effort was ruled out for offside.
Lookman and Alex Iwobi both forced saves from Rwanda goalkeeper Fiacre Ntwari, before disaster struck as Osimhen limped off injured before half-time, replaced by Cyriel Dessers.
Goalless at the interval, Chelle reshaped Nigeria into a 4-4-2 diamond and introduced Arokodare for his competitive debut.
The Wolves striker wasted little time making his mark, scoring in the 51st minute. A neat link-up between Moses Simon and Bruno Onyemaechi released the full-back, whose cross was initially blocked before Arokodare, sprawled on the turf, acrobatically hooked the rebound into the net.
It was only his second goal for Nigeria, but it could prove priceless in their qualification push.
The hosts might have added to their lead as Ntwari produced a string of superb saves, including a stunning stop from a Simon free-kick destined for the top corner. Rwanda pushed hard late on as fatigue crept into Nigeria’s play, but the Super Eagles held their nerve to claim a vital win.
The result lifts Nigeria to third in Group C with 10 points from seven matches, leapfrogging Rwanda but still trailing South Africa by six points and Benin by one. Next up is a high-stakes clash in Bloemfontein against South Africa on Tuesday, a match that could shape the group’s destiny.
