ABUJA: Nigeria substitute Tolu Arokodare’s overhead kick early in the second half secured a 1-0 home victory over Rwanda on Saturday that keeps alive his country’s World Cup qualifying hopes.

The win moved them up to third in the standings, six points behind leaders South Africa with three matches remaining. Nigeria visit the South Africans on Tuesday in what could be the key fixture of the Group ‘C’ campaign.

South Africa, however, are expected to be docked three points for using a defaulter in March but have surprisingly not yet been sanctioned by FIFA.

The group winners qualify automatically for the 2026 finals in North America.

Nigeria might have to do without top striker Victor Osimhen on Tuesday, with the former African Footballer of the Year forced off with an injury to his left foot in the first half. It is not yet clear whether he will make the trip to South Africa.

Arokodare, recently signed by Wolverhampton Wanderers, got a touch to Ola Ainas 52nd-minute effort, steering the ball in from just under the bar as Nigeria finally breached a tight visiting defence.

Rwanda drop to fourth in the standings with eight points from their seven group outings.

Nigeria have been to six previous World Cup finals but missed out on the last tournament in Qatar.

MOROCCO TROUNCE NIGER

On Friday, Morocco routed 10-man Niger 5-0 in Rabat to win Group ‘E’ and become the first African qualifiers for the 2026 World Cup.

Ismael Saibari scored twice in the first half after Abdul-Latif Goumey was sent off and second-half goals from Ayoub el Kaabi, Hamza Igamane and Azzedine Ounahi completed the rout.

A sixth straight victory lifted Morocco to an unassailable lead with 18 points — eight more than Tanzania — and sealed a seventh appearance at the global showpiece with two matches to spare.

Only Ounahi of the scorers against Niger was in the 2022 World Cup squad with coach Walid Regragui introducing new faces since, including Saibari from Dutch club PSV Eindhoven.

In Group ‘A’, Egypt beat Ethiopia 2-0 in Cairo with Premier League stars Mohamed Salah and Omar Marmoush converting late first-half penalties.

Egypt can join Morocco at the 2026 World Cup in the United States, Canada and Mexico if they win away to second-placed Burkina Faso on Tuesday.

Meanwhile, Newcastle United signing Yoane Wissa was among the goals as the Democratic Republic of Congo hammered South Sudan 4-1 in Juba to stay top of Group ‘B’.

In the group’s other match, Cedric Bakambu scored twice to help the visitors build a three-goal half-time advantage and Wissa added a fourth before Keer Majak claimed a consolation goal.

Senegal trail DR Congo by one point ahead of a top-of-the-table showdown in Kinshasa on Tuesday after beating Sudan 2-0 in Diamniadio thro­ugh goals from Kalidou Koul­ibaly and Pape Matar Sarr.

South Africa maintained a five-point lead in Group ‘C’ thanks to a comfortable 3-0 away victory over neighbours Lesotho in Bloemfontein

Victory did come at a cost for South Africa, though, with defenders Nyiko Mobbie and Thabo Moloisane retiring injured ahead of a key clash with Nigeria at the same venue on Tuesday.

South Africa have 16 points, five more than Benin, who edg­ed Zimbabwe 1-0 in Abidjan through a Steve Mounie goal.

Elsewhere, clinical first-half finishing earned Gambia a surprise 3-1 win over Kenya in Nairobi with Brighton winger Yankuba Minteh scoring the second.

However, the result had no impact on the top of Group ‘F’, with reigning African champions the Ivory Coast travel away to Gabon on Tuesday in a match likely to decide who finishes first.

Serhou Guirassy bagged his first for Guinea in World Cup qualifying to set up a 3-0 win over Somalia.

But a disappointing campaign by Guinea — they lie fourth eight points behind Group ‘G’ leaders Algeria — means Guirassy will almost certainly miss the World Cup.

Published in Dawn, September 8th, 2025