Rwanda’s head coach, Adel Amrouche, has shared his thoughts on what went wrong in their 2-0 defeat to Nigeria during the 2026 World Cup qualifier in Kigali.

The Wasps started strong but struggled after Victor Osimhen scored an early goal. The match, played at the Amahoro Stadium, saw Nigeria take all three points, pushing Rwanda down in the Group C standings. With this loss, South Africa moved ahead in the group, while Nigeria closed the gap to just one point.

Speaking after the game, Coach Amrouche admitted that Osimhen’s early goal changed everything.

“We had a plan. We knew Nigeria would start aggressively because they had the pressure to score early,” he said.

Amrouche explained that his strategy was to keep the game tight for the first 20 minutes, but once Nigeria scored, everything changed.

“When we conceded, I had to change the plan. I told my players we needed to hold on for twenty minutes, but that goal forced us to adjust,” he added.

Nigeria’s first goal came in the 11th minute when Victor Osimhen finished off a cross from Ademola Lookman. The Napoli striker then scored again before halftime with a brilliant lob, sealing Nigeria’s victory.

Amrouche admitted that conceding in this way was frustrating.

“Sometimes you have a plan, but football is unpredictable. We conceded from a free kick and a pass. That’s not about tactics. It’s a shame,” he said.

This win boosts Nigeria’s chances of qualifying for the 2026 FIFA World Cup. Their next challenge is a crucial match against Zimbabwe in Uyo.

Will the Super Eagles continue their winning form? Football fans will be watching closely.