Pakistan Head Coach Sends Warning to Eric Chelle Ahead of World Cup Qualifiers
by by Babajide Orevba · Legit.ng News · Join- Eric Chelle has been warned that Rwanda are no pushovers as the 2026 FIFA World Cup qualifiers return
- Desperate Nigeria seek all three points against the Amavubi who welcome the Super Eagles to the Amahoro Stadium on Friday, March 21
- Rwanda have started the World Cup qualifiers on an impressive note as they lead the CAF qualification Group C
The head coach of the Pakistani national football team Stephen Constantine has sent a warning to the Super Eagles coach ahead of the upcoming matches.
Nigeria take on Rwanda and Zimbabwe in the FIFA World Cup qualifiers slated for March 21 and 25 respectively.
The three-time African champions have struggled in the qualifying series so far, failing to register a win in any of their four matches played.
With 1-1 draws against Lesotho, Zimbabwe and South Africa respectively and then a 2-1 loss to Benin, the Super Eagles are fifth on the log with three points.
Rwanda, South Africa and Benin all have seven points each, but the Amavubi lead the pack with a better goal difference.
They defeated South Africa 2-0 and registered a 1-0 win against Lesotho in Durban. The Amavubi also recorded a draw and a defeat against Zimbabwe and Benin respectively.
Constantine, who was in charge of the Rwandan national team between 2014 and 2015, warned coach Eric Chelle that Rwanda's size does not matter.
According to the tactician, the Wasps can go shoulder-to-shoulder with any big team on the African continent.
He told DW as per New Times:
"It's not about size or population but what you do with what you have, and Rwanda does that well.
"I think Rwanda is underestimated to a large degree but there's talent in Rwanda, lots of talent.
"That is what happens when you give players time and opportunity to develop."
Rwanda vs Nigeria slated for Amahoro stadium
Rwanda play host to the Super Eagles of Nigeria on Friday and then welcome Lesotho to the same venue on March 25.
Meanwhile, newly appointed coach Adel Amrouche will face a tough debut as he hopes to continue where his predecessor Torsten Spittler left off.
Ahead of the upcoming fixtures, Soccernet reports that Amrouche reinstated young players Hakim Sahabo and Raphael York, who had been absent from the lineup since June 2024.
Spittler excluded the pair from the team due to what the tactician described as "bad behaviour."
The German coach criticised Sahabo for creating more issues than he resolved within the team. York had been sidelined since it was discovered that he had misrepresented his fitness.
According to the manager, the deception nearly jeopardised the team’s performance in their game against Benin.
Rwanda camp hit with bad news
Legit.ng earlier reported that the Rwandan camp was been hit with bad news after two players left the camp to attend to a family bereavement and their status.
According to the country's football FA, players Omborenga Fitina and Nshimiyimana Yunusu lost their mother on Monday evening.
FERWAFA shared a video of the players consoling the two defenders before they exited the camp and it remains to be seen if they will return before the match on Friday.