The captain of the Super Eagles Williams Troost-Ekong has explained why the senior national team of Nigeria lost their last AFCON 2025 qualifier against Rwanda.
Recall that in the game played on Monday in Uyo, the capital of Akwa Ibom State, the Super Eagles scored first through Samuel Chukwueze but Nigeria’s defensive frailties allowed Rwanda to come from behind and secure a shock 2-1 victory.
During the news conference held after the game, Troost-Ekong acknowledged that the Super Eagles’ defence and the team as a whole did not perform as well or as effectively as anticipated.
“Yes, you’re right, and I take responsibility,” Troost-Ekong began, particularly referencing the Amavubi’s equaliser, scored by Angel Mutsinzi with a low header from a free-kick.
“As captain and the last man at the back, I know we should have done better. But don’t forget, free kicks, like other set-piece situations, can trouble any team, and I think that’s what happened today. So, I take responsibility.”
“We’re all sad and disappointed. We set out to win this last game to thank and appreciate our fans for their support. We also wanted to preserve our unbeaten run and achieve a clean-sheet finish,” he said.
