By Kayode John
Super Eagles midfielder, Fisayo Dele-Bashiru, has admitted that the team tried to secure the win in their 2025 Africa Cup of Nations qualifiers against Rwanda on Tuesday but was not clinical enough.
The Eagles were forced to a 0-0 draw at the Amahoro National Stadium in Kigali on Tuesday, coming on the back of their impressive 3-0 victory over the Cheetahs of Benin Republic.
In the 3-4-3 formation adopted by the caretaker manager of team, Augustine Eguavoen, Dele-Bashiru started in the midfield alongside Wilfred Ndidi, with Bruno Onyemachi and Ola Aina as wing-backs.
“It was going to be difficult playing away, or course they had their fans cheering them on,” the 23-year-old Lazio star said in a post-match interview.
“Of course, there are different circumstances we have to consider. With everything considered, I think we played well, the problem was we could not finish our chances, we created a lot of chances but we could not finish off and that is why I think the game ended 0-0.
“We talked a little bit about it (result) after the game, sometimes you are just lucky and sometimes you are not and I think today (Tuesday) is one of those days.
“It wasn’t just going, so like I said, it is important we didn’t lose the game, we didn’t concede.”
According to him, the Eagles are consoled by the fact that they kept a second consecutive clean sheet in the qualifiers and did not leave empty-handed.
“Of course we can take a positive from it; we didn’t concede, we took a point in the AFCON qualification. It was not the result we wanted but it is not a terrible result,” he noted.
‘Nigeria’s forward line is world-class’—Rwanda coach admits his attackers not on same level as Eagles’
Meanwhile, Rwanda head coach Torsten Spittler confessed that his forwards are not on the same level as the Super Eagles frontline.
With Victor Osimhen considered not match-fit enough to start, Super Eagles head coach Austin Eguavoen opted for Victor Boniface, Ademola Lookman and Samuel Chukwueze to lead his attack, while the new Galatasaray signing and Moses Simon were introduced in the second half, with Nottingham Forest striker Taiwo Awoniyi an unused substitute.
“I’m very happy not only because of the result but also the way we played. It’s always important that you make a good match, and then I said normally the results will come,” Spittler said.
“Everybody could see this Nigerian team, especially the forward line is world-class, and we also had a few chances where you could see the difference between our strikers and their strikers.
“It was a good match from our side against a very strong team with a lot of confidence coming from their 3-0 home win, so I’m very happy with the result but also the way we played.”
