Rwanda secured a narrow but crucial 1-0 victory over Zimbabwe on Tuesday in their 2026 FIFA World Cup qualifying campaign, reigniting their hopes of progressing from the group.
The Amavubi Stars, who were coming off a disappointing 1-0 defeat to Nigeria last weekend, bounced back in style at home.
Gilbert Mugisha delivered the decisive moment of the match, smashing in a powerful free-kick just before half-time to send the Rwandan fans into jubilation.
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Despite several chances for both sides after the break, neither team could find the back of the net, and Rwanda held firm to protect their slender lead until the final whistle.
The result significantly reshapes the group standings. Rwanda now moved into third place with 11 points, overtaking Nigeria, who are on 10 points ahead of their crunch tie against South Africa.
Elsewhere in the group, Benin Republic, who also sit on 11 points in second place, are set to host Lesotho later tonight in a fixture that could further shake up the qualification race.
With only a few games left, the battle for a World Cup ticket remains wide open, as every point gained—or lost—could prove decisive.