Rwanda head coach Adel Amrouche has pointed the finger at his players after their 2-0 defeat to Nigeria in the 2026 World Cup qualifiers, insisting they gifted the Super Eagles both goals, Soccernet.ng reports.
A brace from Victor Osimhen in the 10th and 45th minutes secured a crucial victory for Nigeria at Amahoro Stadium on Friday, reigniting their hopes of qualifying for the tournament in the United States, Canada, and Mexico.
However, Amrouche was left deeply frustrated by what he saw as his team’s costly mistakes, which he believes disrupted his tactical approach.
Speaking to journalists after the match, the Algerian coach did not hold back in his assessment of his players’ performance against Nigeria.
“We gifted them two goals. Imagine conceding a goal in the 10th minute, and I had to change my game plan,” he said.
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Amrouche was visibly angered by his side’s lack of resilience, especially in front of thousands of passionate supporters, including President Paul Kagame and First Lady Jeannette Kagame.
“My players lacked fighting spirit. I hate to lose. I am not a loser,” he said bluntly.
“What hurt me most is that the president of the nation [Paul Kagame] was there. Look at the fans who came to support us. If some of the players don’t improve, they will go because new players are coming.”
Despite the disappointment, Amrouche urged his team to move on quickly and focus on their next fixture against Lesotho.
“That is football, we have lost. We must quickly forget about it and get a win on Tuesday against Lesotho.”
Rwanda’s defeat has seen them slip to third place in Group C with seven points, trailing leaders South Africa, who sit on ten points after a 2-0 victory over Lesotho.
The Amavubi will look to bounce back when they host Lesotho at Amahoro Stadium on Tuesday, March 25.
FULLTIME- Osimhen’s brace revives #SuperEagles’ 2026 World Cup dreams. ✈️️ pic.twitter.com/V8ChCc1vsD
— Soccernet.ng (@soccernet_ng) March 21, 2025
Meanwhile, Nigeria’s victory — its first-ever on Rwandan soil — sees the Super Eagles climb to fourth place with six points from five matches.
However, they remain four points adrift of South Africa and will be hoping to cut the deficit when they take on Zimbabwe in Uyo.
With Bafana Bafana set to face second-placed Benin, who have eight points, the group standings could shift dramatically in the next round of matches.
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