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Nigeria’s unexpected defeat to Rwanda in their last AFCON 2025 qualifier was a result of overconfidence and lack of focus, according to former Super Eagles coach Gernot Rohr, now in charge of Benin.
The Super Eagles, who had maintained an unbeaten record throughout the qualifiers, suffered a surprising defeat at home.
Samuel Chukwueze opened the scoring with a brilliant strike, but Nigeria conceded two quick goals, allowing Rwanda to claim a historic victory.
Despite the loss, Nigeria had already secured qualification for the tournament in Morocco with two games to spare, comfortably topping their group. However, Rwanda’s win was bittersweet, as they still missed out on qualification, edged out by Benin on goal difference.
Rohr, reflecting on the game, shared his thoughts during an interview with Fraternité, saying:
“Against Nigeria, we were pegged back by Osimhen a few minutes before the end. I know this team well from having coached them.”
“They sometimes tend to take their foot off the gas when they think they have qualified. This can give their opponents the opportunity to spring a surprise, as was the case with Rwanda.”
Rohr’s tenure as Nigeria’s coach saw notable achievements, including guiding the Super Eagles to a third-place finish at the 2019 Africa Cup of Nations, qualification for the 2018 FIFA World Cup, and the 2021 AFCON.
However, his reign ended in December 2021 after his dismissal, with Augustine Eguavoen stepping in to lead the team at the 2021 AFCON.
Rohr’s remarks emphasize the Super Eagles’ difficulty in staying focused even after securing qualification, warning that complacency often results in unforeseen defeats.
