Morocco 2025: Rwanda’s Bees sting uninspiring Eagles 2-1 in Uyo

Posted : 20 November 2024

Group winners Nigeria received a huge blow when they lost 1-2 to the Amavubi (Bees) of Rwanda at the Godswill Akpabio Stadium on the final day of qualifiers for the 35th Africa Cup of Nations finals.

The Eagles, who were expected to win and finish on a high in a group they dominated, were unconvincing for large parts of the game. It took substitute Samuel Chukwueze, who replaced Kelechi Iheanacho at the start of the second half, and with two-thirds of the match gone, to generate any real excitement for the sparse crowd in south-south Nigeria.

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The Italy-based forward made himself available to receive a pass from midfielder Frank Onyeka, then weaved his way past three defenders before slamming the ball past the impressive goalkeeper Fiacre Ntwari for Nigeria’s only goal.

The visitors managed to stifle Nigeria’s game with a disconnect between the midfield and attack of the Super Eagles. Victor Boniface, with another opportunity to claim a starting spot, could not provide any real threat to the Amavubi defense.

Moses Simon, with his characteristic dashing run, found Boniface’s head in the 24th minute, but the Germany-based forward headed away from goal. Iheanacho, after receiving a well-placed pass from Simon, saw his shot saved by Ntwari with minutes remaining in the first half.

In the 50th minute, Boniface’s header from Simon’s corner kick was punched away. Three minutes after Chukwueze’s goal, Nigeria broke forward again, only for substitute Onyeka’s pass to drift past Fisayo Dele-Bashiru at the crucial moment.

Boniface missed another glorious opportunity in the 68th minute after an excellent touch from Chukwueze and a pass from Dele-Bashiru. Four minutes later, Rwanda equalized when substitute Marie Gueulette headed past Maduka Okoye as Nigeria’s defenders failed to track the ball from a free-kick on the right.

As the Eagles continued their casual play, the Amavubi saw an opportunity to make history and went for it. Three minutes after the equalizer, they raided the Nigeria defense again and capitalized, getting the ball past Okoye for their second and winning goal.

However, the victory turned out to be bittersweet for the Amavubi, as they learned they had not qualified for the Africa Cup of Nations following Benin Republic’s 0-0 draw with Libya in North Africa.

Ademola Lookman, who was injured in the match against Benin Republic in Abidjan on Thursday and did not feature in Monday’s encounter, provided the only cheering news of the evening after being nominated among five candidates for this year’s Africa Player of the Year award, which will take place in Morocco on December 16.

Moroccan Achraf Hakimi, Ivorian Simon Adingra, Guinean Serhou Guirassy, and South African goalkeeper Ronwen Williams are the other nominees.

Morocco 2025: Rwanda’s Bees sting uninspiring Eagles 2-1 in Uyo

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