Ntwali’s first clean sheet in AFCON qualifiers
By Joseph Morris Vincent
Rwandan goalkeeper Fiacre Ntwali performed brilliantly in goal for the Amavubi against Nigeria in their second AFCON game at the Amahoro Stadium in Kigali on Tuesday.
The goalkeeper was up to the task in the match as he kept his first clean sheet in the 2025 AFCON qualifiers.
The match, which was the first home game for the Amavubi of Rwanda since the renovation project of their stadium in February 2022, was well attended.
The hosts put up a great fight against three-time African Cup of Nations winner, the Super Eagles of Nigeria to earn a point in a tough encounter that ended goalless after 90 minutes of action.
Ntwali who has been excellent for the Amavubi of Rwanda produced yet another stunning performance in Kigali as he made the difference in goal for Torsten Frank Spittler side’s.
His performance, though, was not just about saves against Nigeria, with the 24-year-old also proving a commanding presence when dealing with crosses and proved to be a barrier for Nigeria, who could not find a way past him in the match.
The Kaizer Chiefs shot-stopper played the entire 90 minutes against Nigeria making several crucial saves, including a last-minute effort from super star Victor Osimhen’s header to keep the score level.
He pulled off 9 key saves to keep a clean sheet and made several recoveries, along with confident feet in the box.
The 24-year-old has gone from strength to strength playing a key role for both club and country.
His experience as an international player, having represented Rwanda since the age of 17, further solidified his growth and development as a promising goalkeeper in Africa.
Rwanda has two points from two games and sits second on the log in Group D, while Nigeria has 4 points and sits atop the group.