Femi Solaja with agency Report
Group C of the ongoing 2026 FIFA World Cup qualifying series may have been thrown open following Rwanda’s shock 2-0 win against Bafana Bafana of South Africa.
The win thus relegated the supposed ‘giants’ in the pool, South Africa and Nigeria to second and third positions respectively at the end of Match-day two.
While Nigeria’s football family was still lamenting the uninspiring two draws recorded against Lesotho and Zimbabwe which will likely give rival, South Africa a massive edge with a possible away win in Rwanda, the Rainbow nation faltered to two first-half goals which offered Super Eagles a lifeline should they win the next two matches in June of 2024.
In the other group match, Lesotho and the Republic of Benin played goalless draw in Durban, South Africa the adopted home of the host nation to leave both nations in fourth and last position respectively.
The Wasp of Rwanda, drew their opening Group C match 0-0 against Zimbabwe. Amavubi under new coach, Torsten Spittler, took the initiative to get their first win and they were rewarded with goals from Innocent Nshuti in the 12th minute, and Gilbert Mugisha in the 28th minute to silence the visiting side.
It was Amavubi who settled quickly into the game and they almost took the lead with only six minutes played when Lague Byiringiro evaded his marker to meet a cross from Djihad Bizimana but the former failed to hit the target as his weak effort was stopped by Bafana goalkeeper Ronwen Williams.
However, it did not take Rwanda long to take the lead as Innocent Nshuti found himself in the right place in the 12th minute to stab home a cross from Byiringiro. The goal rejuvenated the Amavubi, who were spurred by their home fans, and it should have been 2-0 in the 18th minute when Nshuti laid a neat pass to Kevin Muhire but the advancing Williams came out quickly to gather the ball.
Ten minutes later, Rwanda stretched their lead when Gilbert Mugisha powered home using his right foot off a cross from Ange Mutsinzi.
The goal stunned the Hugo Broos-led Bafana, who had kicked off their campaign with a 2-1 victory against Benin.
Nshuti and Mugisha were the first Rwanda players to go into the referees’ book following clumsy tackles and South Africa’s best chance of the game to reduce the deficit came in the 34th minute but Percy Tau drilled his effort off inches
The victory saw Rwanda move top of the group on four points, Bafana dropped to second on three points, Nigeria, who are winless from two matches, are third on two, Lesotho fourth on two, Zimbabwe fifth on two while Benin are last on one point.
RESULTS
- Botswana 1-0 Guinea
- Ethiopia 0-3 B’ Faso
- Lesotho 0-0 Benin
- Malawi 0-1 Tunisia
- Rwanda 2-0 S’ Africa
- Somalia 0-1 Uganda
- Eswatini 0-2 Cape Verde
- Comoros 1-0 Ghana
- Libya 1-1 Cameroon
- Mauritius 0-0 Angola
- São Tomé 0-2 Namibia
- S’Sudan 0-0 Mauritania
- Togo 0-0 Senegal
- Niger 2-1 Zambia
- Tanzania 0-2 Morocco
