Former Super Eagles stars, Victor Ikpeba and Mutiu Adepoju, have voiced their displeasure after Nigeria’s shocking 2-1 defeat to Rwanda in their final 2025 Africa Cup of Nations qualifier.
The game, played at the Godswill Akpabio Stadium in Uyo, Akwa Ibom State, on Monday, saw the Eagles squander a one-goal lead in dramatic fashion.
Nigeria, having already secured qualification for the AFCON tournament in Morocco, were expected to cruise past Rwanda.
The game took a promising turn in the 59th minute when Samuel Chukwueze fired the Super Eagles ahead.
However, two quickfire goals from Rwanda’s Aimable Mutinzi and Imanishimwe Nshuti, scored within three minutes, flipped the script and left the home crowd stunned.
The defeat prompted a strong reaction from Victor Ikpeba, the 1997 African Footballer of the Year, who criticised the players’ lackluster performance despite coach Austin Eguavoen’s tactical adjustments.
Eguavoen had made seven changes to the starting lineup, giving fringe players a chance to shine following their 1-1 draw with Benin Republic last Thursday.
“I am disappointed with the boys being called upon. I thought the players selected were good enough to pick maximum points against this Rwanda side. I thought they were going to run riot and win,” Ikpeba lamented.
He acknowledged the coach’s intent to test new players but expressed dissatisfaction with their output.
“The coach made seven changes which is expected because we had already qualified and it was an opportunity given to those players to show they are good enough for the national team. For me personally, I think that the players have not done justice to the national team.
“The fans that have come out in numbers to support them will be disappointed (but) that’s football sometimes. We didn’t see the result coming, but I think we should still be positive for now,” Ikpeba concluded.
Adepoju, a veteran of Nigeria’s victorious 1994 AFCON campaign, echoed similar sentiments about the team’s underwhelming display.
“It was just very sad. I thought we were going to win by at least two goals. We scored the first goal and I thought the second would come for us, and then they equalised. Within three minutes, they scored the second, and I think that is very bad,” the former midfielder said.
“This is very disappointing. I never expected Rwanda to defeat us. It is very sad, and I will say that the performance of the boys was disappointing.”
Despite the unexpected defeat, Nigeria maintained their top spot in Group D with 11 points from six matches, edging Benin Republic, who also qualified on goal difference after a crucial victory over Libya.
For Rwanda, the win was bittersweet; while they achieved a historic result, it wasn’t enough to secure their spot at next year’s AFCON, leaving them third in the group.
The Super Eagles now turn their focus to preparing for Morocco 2025, with fans and analysts expecting a more cohesive performance in the main tournament.
