Lookman out of Nigeria Vs Rwanda AFCON 2025 qualifier in Uyo as Eagles vow to go all out for victory

Ademola Lookman has left the Super Eagles camp in Uyo and will not be available for selection in Nigeria’s final 2025 Africa Cup of Nations qualifier against the Amavubi of Rwanda at the Godswill Akpabio stadium in Uyo, capital of Akwa Ibom state in South South Nigeria.

The Atalanta of Italy forward suffered a knock in the front end of this window’s double-header, against Benin Republic’s Cheetahs in Abidjan on Thursday, and left camp on Saturday.
He has thus joined goalkeeper Stanley Nwabali and Ola Aina as the players who will be missing on Monday evening.

Nwabali was excused from camp to visit family and relations following the demise of his father while English Premier League side Nottingham Forest begged for wing-back Olaoluwa Aina to be allowed to fly back to the United Kingdom for a crucial tie, with Nigeria already qualified for the AFCON.

Meanwhile, the Super Eagles will go all out for victory against Rwanda even with leadership of group D and a ticket to the 35th Africa Cup of Nations finals in Morocco secured, says Head Coach Augustine Eguavoen.

The three-time African champions are determined to sustain their recent form and spirit ahead of the 2026 FIFA World Cup qualifiers that resume in four months, and Coach Augustine Eguavoen believes the absence of grieving Nwabali, Aina and Lookman will not stop their momentum.

The Super Eagles are not unaware of the fact that the Amavubi are in the same 2026 FIFA World Cup qualifying group with them, and that they (Rwanda) are the next opponents when the World Cup qualifying campaign resumes in March 2025.

Monday’s encounter will see the return of former number one safe hands Maduka Okoye, and Bright Osayi-Samuel could start at right wing-back in the absence of Aina, with Bruno Onyemaechi at left wing-back, and Captain William Troost-Ekong and Calvin Bassey at centre-back.

Wilfred Ndidi, Alex Iwobi, Frank Onyeka, Alhassan Yusuf Abdullahi, Fisayo Dele-Bashiru and Raphael Onyedika are still the options in the middle.

Victor Osimhen, whose goal earned the one point in Abidjan that took Nigeria to the top of the pool, will hope to score against the Amavubi, having come quite close a number of times when he joined the fray as a second-half substitute in Kigali in September. He also has the target of overtaking former captain Olusegun Odegbami on the goals’ tally for Nigeria.

The absence of Lookman means so much will be expected from fit-fighting and usually-dependable Moses Simon, with Samuel Chukwueze, Sadiq Umar, Kelechi Iheanacho and Victor Boniface all in the race for slots in the fore.