Rwanda’s German coach Spittler points out what thrilled him in draw with Nigeria’s Super Eagles

Rwanda head coach Torsten Spittler expressed his satisfaction following his side’s hard-fought 0-0 draw against Nigeria in their second match of the AFCON 2025 qualifying campaign, Soccernet.ng reports.

The Amavubi stood firm to hold the three-time African champions at the Amahoro National Stadium in Kigali on Tuesday.

The Super Eagles, coming off a dominant 3-0 victory over Benin Republic, were eager to extend their lead at the top of Group D. With goals from Ademola Lookman and Victor Osimhen securing that earlier win, the Super Eagles entered the game in confident form.

However, they struggled to break down Rwanda’s resolute defence throughout the encounter.

Ademola Lookman thought he had given Nigeria the lead in the 22nd minute, but his goal was ruled out after a foul by Victor Boniface in the buildup. Despite creating several chances, including opportunities for Lookman and Boniface, Nigeria could not convert.

The Super Eagles dominated possession, and coach Austin Eguavoen introduced key players Osimhen and Moses Simon early in the second half to boost the attack.

Still, the Rwandan defence remained solid, and Spittler’s side extended their record under the German coach to an impressive seven games unbeaten in eight fixtures.

Speaking after the game, Spittler was delighted with his team’s discipline and performance against one of Africa’s strongest sides.

“I’m very happy not only because of the result but also the way we played. It’s always important that you make a good match, and then I said normally the results will come,” Spittler told reporters.

He acknowledged the quality of Nigeria’s forward line, adding, “Everybody could see this Nigerian team, especially the forward line, is world-class, and we also had a few chances where you could see the difference between our strikers and their strikers.”

Rwanda’s Amavubi now have two points from their opening two games, while Nigeria lead Group D with four points.