2025 AFCON: Nigeria confronts Rwanda in dead-rubber clash

There is pride to play for as Nigeria’s Super Eagles file out against the Amavubi of Rwanda in today’s dead-rubber clash at Godswill Akpabio Stadium, Uyo, writes David Meshioye.

Nothing else interests Amavubi of Rwanda’s German gaffer, Torsten Frank Spittler, other than nipping down the streets of Kigali for his early morning roadwork and returning home to do some clean-up. To him, cleanliness is next to godliness, but every last Saturday of the month is a no-no for him; he is held back in the comfort of his home to clean up trash around the house in a country regarded as the “Singapore of Africa.”

“On the last Saturday of each month, they have a kind of ‘clean-up day,’” begins Spittler. “There’s hardly any traffic on the road on those days because people are encouraged to stay home and tidy and clean up their neighbourhood,” he told FIFA.COM.

Of course, the German gaffer will surely have loads of trash to clean up later today when Amavubi file out against the Super Eagles of Nigeria in the AFCON 2025 dead-rubber encounter at Godswill Akpabio Stadium, Uyo, if he truly wants Rwanda on the flight to Morocco next year.

Nigeria booked their place in the competition before their 1-1 encounter against the Hawks of Benin on Thursday, but coach Austin Eguavoen has stated in clear terms that he and his boys are not prepared to let down their guard against the Amavubi side that needs an outright win to stand a chance of qualifying for the 2025 AFCON if Benin Republic drop valuable points against Libya.

The three-time AFCON winners won Group D with an unassailable 11 points from five matches. Benin remains second with seven points, Rwanda third with five points, while Libya are bottom of the standings, having recorded four points.

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