Super Eagles Head Coach, Augustine Eguavoen, has assured that his team will secure a win in Monday’s final Group D match against Rwanda’s Amavubi in the 2025 AFCON qualifiers, despite already qualifying for the tournament.
During a pre-match press conference on Sunday evening at the Godswill Akpabio International Stadium in Uyo, Eguavoen expressed confidence in his players’ ability to handle such matches.
With Nigeria’s qualification for the Morocco 2025 AFCON already secured, Eguavoen addressed concerns about maintaining focus against a Rwandan side eager for a victory.
“Our boys are 100% professionals, and they know what it takes to win games. They won’t blink for a minute. The same approach we’d use against Brazil or Argentina is the same we’ll use against Rwanda,” Eguavoen stated confidently.
Eguavoen also clarified the absence of Ademola Lookman and Ola Aina. He explained that Lookman was released due to a slight injury that prevented him from playing at full capacity, while Aina’s release was requested by Nottingham Forest to maintain a good relationship with the club.
On Gabriel Osho’s substitution during the Benin Republic match, Eguavoen clarified that it was a tactical decision, unrelated to Osho’s performance.
“We needed to switch from a back-three to a back-four, and I explained this to Osho, who understood,” Eguavoen said.
“We didn’t lose any away games. Football has evolved, and teams now prepare well against Nigeria. Earning points away deserves credit,” he added.
