Nigeria's Super Eagles confront Rwanda in Uyo on Saturday, in what many already describe as a defining encounter for their fragile 2026 World Cup qualifying journey.
The three-time African champions stand at a crossroads. After missing the 2022 finals in Qatar, the prospect of consecutive failures looms dangerously over Nigerian football's proud reputation.
So far, the campaign has been marked by frustrating draws. Nigeria have managed four stalemates in six matches, in spite of conceding only a solitary goal throughout the qualifiers.