AFCON 2025: Fiacre Ntwari says draw with Nigeria will boost Rwanda’s confidence
Rwanda goalkeeper Fiacre Ntwari has expressed pride in his team’s performance following their goalless draw against the Super Eagles in the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) Group D qualifiers, Nigeriasoccernet.com can report.
The match, held on Tuesday at Amahoro Stadium, showcased the resilience and skill of the Rwandan squad.
Despite Nigeria arriving in Kigali as the favored team, boasting a roster filled with high-caliber talents, Ntwari played a pivotal role in securing the draw. His impressive saves thwarted several scoring opportunities from key Nigerian players, including Ademola Lookman, Moses Simon, Victor Osimhen, and Victor Boniface.
The Kaizer Chiefs' new signing demonstrated exceptional goalkeeping skills throughout the match, underscoring his importance to the team.
In a post-match interview, Ntwari reflected on the significance of the draw, stating, “We’re now big players who are now playing in Europe and other big leagues, so the only goal we can have is to win many matches. This game was very competitive against Nigeria, but this draw is a good result and we should motivate ourselves to do better,” as reported by Times Sport.
He further emphasized the team's readiness and the boost in confidence they gained from the game, saying, “We’ve got a good squad ready to do better. I think all of the players are ready for every game ahead and that performance against Nigeria will give us more confidence and self-belief that we can actually go on to win matches.”
The match against Nigeria was significant as it marked Amavubi’s first international fixture at the renovated Amahoro Stadium since January 6, 2022. On that occasion, Rwanda suffered a 2-0 defeat to Guinea in a friendly match. The recent draw highlights the progress the team has made since then.
Currently, Rwanda occupies the third spot in Group D with 2 points from two games. They trail the group leaders Nigeria, who have amassed 4 points, and Benin, who are in second place with 3 points after their 2-1 victory over Libya on Tuesday.
Oluwayemi omolagba
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