Rwanda vs Nigeria: Lookman brilliant for Super Eagles in goalless AFCON 2025 qualifier draw

• The Super Eagles of Nigeria settled for a draw against Rwanda in the AFCON 2025 qualifier
• Ballon d'Or nominee Ademola Lookman was brilliant again but could not find a way through
• The result leaves the Eagles top of Group D with four points from their opening two matches

Ademola Lookman was brilliant, but the Super Eagles of Nigeria drew their second AFCON 2025 qualifying game against Rwanda to wrap up the September international window.

Nigeria, off the back of an emphatic 3-0 win over West African neighbours Benin Republic, played a goalless draw against Rwanda at the Amahoro National Stadium in Kigali.

The game was even between the two sides, but it was the Eagles who created the better chances, having Ademola Lookman's goal ruled out by Egyptian referee Maarouf Eid Mansour due to an infraction in the box and the crossbar denied Victor Boniface.

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Victor Osimhen replaced Boniface at halftime, while Moses Simon replaced the electric Simon Chukwueze, who picked up a yellow card after an altercation in the first half.

The Bayer Leverkusen star fares better than he did against Benin Republic but is still not at the level Nigerians would want, considering how he plays for his club.

Lookman brilliant, Rwandan goalkeeper class

Rwandan goalkeeper Fiacre Ntwari was phenomenal and kept the result respectable with five saves to frustrate the Eagles attackers, particularly from Lookman, who put all four of his shots on target.

The Atalanta attacker nearly scored a brilliant goal in the second half when he fired a volley in the box from Ola Aina’s long throw, but Ntwari reacted quickly to push it to safety.

The result has the three-time African champions top of Group D with four points and three goals after two games.

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Nigerians react to disallowed goal

Legit.ng reported that Nigerians reacted to Lookman's disallowed goal in the first half, which could have given the Eagles the lead and probably won it for them.

Fans were unimpressed that the Egyptian official did not have a great view, and the defender got away with falling under minimal contact and denying them a great goal.

Source: Legit.ng