Nigeria’s talismanic striker Victor Osimhen’s brace against Rwanda in Kigali gave new coach Eric Chelle a dream start in his first match in charge and lifted Nigeria from the doldrums of zero wins in four World Cup Africa Group C qualifiers.
The Galatasary hitman calmed Nigeria’s nerves with two first half strikes. The first came in the 10th minute from a freekick taken by Ademola Lookman with Osimhen finishing on the volley. The second was typical Osimhen. A knockdown from Samuel Chukwueze saw Osimhen nick the ball from a hesitant Rwandan defender around the halfway line, and race on to goal to finish with a cute chip in first half injury time.
Malian Chelle deserves praise for the win and his tactical tweaks. Lookman was deployed in a new position as a “10” just behind Osimhen with Chukwueze and Moses Simon on the flanks. The front four also pressed high, winning the ball early before Rwanda could build from the back.
The home team had to force the issue after the break and threatened as the Nigerians tried to defend their two-goal cushion. But it seemed like a Rwanda goal could only come from a lapse in concentration from Nigeria and not from the home team’s brilliance.
Nigeria seemed to attempt the corner kick tactics that have proven successful this season for Arsenal. But Lookman’s delivery was not at the level seen from the likes Bukayo Saka and Declan Rice. Further work is needed here to take advantage of the aerial threat from Osimhen and skipper William Troost-Ekong.
Osimhen was denied a hattrick when he was saved for the next game at home to Zimbabwe on Tuesday with about 15 minutes left. His debuting replacement Tolu Arokodare put himself about but got a yellow card instead a third goal that would have made the dying minutes more of a stroll for the Nigerians. Arokodare has 16 goals for Genk this season and at 6’6″ would be a nightmare for defences at set-pieces. Lookman and Simon should keep practicing their set-piece deliveries if they want to replicate Arsenal’s success.
For now, Nigeria can breathe a sigh of relief for getting their first win under the belt from five games with six points and just four points behind group leaders South Africa. But they can’t afford any more slipups, starting with Zimbabwe on Tuesday.
