Fitina Omborenga maintains that Rwanda is still in contention for a spot in the 2026 FIFA World Cup, despite a 2-0 defeat to Nigeria.
Victor Osimhen, the Galatasaray forward, scored twice in the first half, propelling the Super Eagles past the Wasps at Amahoro Stadium in Kigali.
Prior to the match, Rwanda was leading Group C, but this recent setback has seen them drop to third place, now trailing behind South Africa and Benin Republic.
Reflecting on the mistakes made against the three-time African champions, the seasoned defender remains optimistic that his team will recover and do whatever is necessary to advance.
“We entered the match hoping to win and maintain our top position in the group, but it was unfortunate that we ended up on the losing side.”
“The two first-half goals from Nigeria threw us off balance, and we struggled a bit in the second half. Our supporters are understandably disappointed with the outcome.”
“However, we’ve taken away some valuable lessons that will aid us in the upcoming qualifiers.”
With a challenging road ahead in their quest for World Cup qualification, Omborenga believes that there’s still hope on the horizon.
He added: “Losing one match doesn’t spell the end of our ambitions to qualify for our first World Cup. Other teams in Group C have also faced defeats.”
“It’s premature to count us out since the qualifying process is a long journey, not a short race. We’ve been tagged as underdogs, which often brings out the best in us.”
“Our coach, Amrouche, expressed his disappointment with the result, but we’ve moved forward, and our attention now turns to the game on Tuesday.”
Rwanda aims to rebound as they host Lesotho in Kigali. Like the Wasps, the Crocodiles also faced a 2-0 defeat to South Africa in their most recent outing.
The match at Peter Mokaba Stadium remained scoreless until Relebohile Mofokeng put Bafana Bafana ahead just after the hour mark, followed by a second goal from Jayden Adams mere minutes later.
Omborenga is hopeful that Rwanda can secure another victory against Lesotho, having previously triumphed 1-0 in the first leg held in Durban. However, he emphasised that they won’t take their opponents lightly.
“Lesotho is a tough side, but we hold a slight advantage from our previous win,” he noted.
“This match, however, will be different as they will be seeking to avenge the loss – but we are prepared. Our objective is to win, and we aren’t underestimating them.”
Lesotho’s coach Leslie Notsi has cautioned that his team won’t be an easy opponent, regardless of their position in African football.
“For us, the upcoming qualifiers are crucial. We need to gather points, and while we’re facing two away matches which complicates matters, we’ve been accustomed to this environment,” Notsi communicated to the media.
“It will require a strong effort from us, but we have faith in our capabilities. These matches will help us grow and become more competitive as a smaller football nation.”
“Sure, others teams may seem like the favourites on paper, yet they still have to secure their spots and qualify for the World Cup.”
Lesotho currently sits fifth in the group, with five points collected from their five matches to date. Their sole victory was a 2-0 win against Zimbabwe in June 2024.
Compiled by SportArena.com.au.
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