Eguavoen, however, promised that the Super Eagles will respect the Amavubi of Rwanda during the eagerly anticipated encounter
By Kehinde Okeowo
Nigeria’s caretaker head coach, Augustine Eguavoen, has said the Super Eagles want to beat Rwanda to remain top of their group.
The Super Eagles will take on the Amavubi of Rwanda in a 2025 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) qualifier on Tuesday afternoon at the Amahoro Stadium, Kigali.
Nigeria currently top Group D with three points after beating Benin 3-0 in their first game, while Rwanda are second with one point after playing 1-1 draw with Libya.
Speaking ahead of today’s game, Eguavoen, said his team will go for a win despite playing away from home.
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He, however, added that the Super Eagles have total respect for the host.
Addressing journalists during the pre-match press conference on Monday, Eguavoen said, “Whatever formation Rwanda comes up with tomorrow [Tuesday], we are ready, the country is full of expectations. It doesn’t matter who will play, they expect us to win.
“We are here already, we respect Rwanda, but are here to get a good result. They respect us, we do respect them too.
“We will play them with respect. You don’t look down on teams these days because football has improved, when you underrated teams, you might get shocked.”
On his part, Rwanda head coach, Torsten Spittler, admitted that his side’s clash with Nigeria won’t be easy.
He, however, hoped that playing in front of their fans would help his team claim a famous victory over the Super Eagles.
“We know our next game against Nigeria won’t be easy, but we hope to make the best of our home advantage.
“Now every point counts, and the draw with Libya brings us more confidence,” Spittler said.
Tuesday’s clash will be the sixth meeting between the two teams.
The Super Eagles have never lost a game against Rwanda, winning twice and drawing three times in the past.