By Kazeem Ugbodaga
The stakes have never been higher as Coach Eric Chelle unveils a star-studded 23-man squad to battle Rwanda and Zimbabwe in a desperate bid to keep Nigeria’s World Cup dream alive.
The Super Eagles find themselves in a precarious position, sitting second to last in Group C with just three points.
Rwanda, their upcoming foe, leads the group with seven points, tied with South Africa and Benin. With their qualification hopes hanging by a thread, Nigeria must secure back-to-back wins to stand any chance of progressing.
Chelle has opted for an all-out attacking arsenal, led by Galatasaray’s lethal goal machine, Victor Osimhen, alongside Ademola Lookman, Samuel Chukwueze, Victor Boniface, Moses Simon, Sadiq Umar, Nathan Tella, and Tolu Arokodare.
In the heart of the midfield, the Eagles will rely on Wilfred Ndidi, Raphael Onyedika, Alhassan Yusuf Abdullahi, Alex Iwobi, Joseph Aribo, and Papa Daniel Mustapha to control the tempo and create chances.
Defensive duties fall on William Troost-Ekong, Bright Osayi-Samuel, Bruno Onyemaechi, Calvin Bassey, Ola Aina, and Igoh Ogbu, while the goalkeeping trio consists of Stanley Nwabali, Amas Obasogie, and Kayode Bankole.
The Eagles face Rwanda in Kigali on March 21, 2025, before returning home to battle Zimbabwe on March 26.
History looms over them, as the last time Nigeria met Rwanda in an AFCON qualifier, the East Africans stunned the Eagles with a 2-1 victory.
This time, with World Cup hopes on the line, Nigeria must rise from the ashes or face the agony of another failed campaign.
