Rwanda’s captain Djihad Bizimana has dismissed the idea that his team will arrive in Uyo as underdogs against Nigeria, insisting they are capable of winning – www.naijnaira.com reports.
The skipper, who plies his trade with Al Ahli SC, made it clear during his press conference that history and rankings mean little in this decisive World Cup qualifier.
Nigeria enter the clash as three-time African champions and the 44th-ranked team in the world, while Rwanda sit 127th, but standings tell a different story.
After Friday’s results, Rwanda are third in Group C with eight points, leaving them one point ahead of Nigeria in fourth place.
That narrow lead has only boosted Rwanda’s belief, especially after their dramatic 2-1 comeback victory over Nigeria in AFCON qualifying on the same pitch last year.
Bizimana reminded reporters, “The underdog label I don’t accept. We are also a team that can compete, we showed it the last time that we were here.”
He added that Rwanda came prepared to play attacking football, stressing that a win would keep their World Cup dream alive.
Nigeria, meanwhile, are desperate to return to the global stage after missing out in 2022, and the pressure on the Super Eagles is enormous.
The firepower of Victor Osimhen, Ademola Lookman, and Samuel Chukwueze makes Nigeria dangerous, yet inconsistency in qualifying has left them exposed.
Despite Rwanda having just one win in eight meetings with Nigeria, that single triumph has shifted the balance of belief in the Amavubi camp.
The stakes in Uyo are high, with one side fighting to prove itself and the other fighting to restore lost pride.
Article updated 1 month ago. Content is written and modified by multiple authors.
