By Osasu Obayiuwana BBC Sport

We haven't lost at home under my control and we're not going to lose this game Rwanda coach Roger Palmgren on their game against Angola

Few would have thought that Nigeria's Super Eagles would have to rely on Rwanda's fortitude to earn passage to their fourth World Cup finals.

With a possible home victory over Zimbabwe on Saturday being far from sufficient to earn a place in Germany, the three-time World Cup qualifiers know their fate could be decided in faraway Kigali.

If group leaders Angola beat Rwanda, Nigeria will miss the World Cup boat.

In contrast, the Southern Africans will secure their maiden voyage to Germany.

"We are aware of the serious situation we are in," Nigeria FA chairman Ibrahim Galadima told BBC Sport.

Angola and Nigeria both top the group with 18 points but Angola lead based on their superior head-to-head record.

"If we beat Zimbabwe at home, we have to hope that fortune will favour us and Rwanda can beat Angola at home.

"We should not have allowed ourselves to be in this position but here we are," he said.

Supposedly the strongest team - on paper - the Super Eagles failed to win crucial group games when it mattered.

It led to the suspension of manager Christian Chukwu, after a 1-1 home draw against Angola in Kano.

The coaching duo of Austin Eguavoen and Samson Siasia, now saddled with the task of piloting Nigeria to their fourth World Cup finals, can only hope fortune's pendulum will swing their way.

Captain Jay-Jay Okocha, down with a groin injury, is unable to play but opted to join his team-mates in Abuja, to provide moral support.

However, Angola's Palancas Negras know football history beckons and have vowed not to let a maiden World Cup place slip away.

But the team managed by Luis Oliveira Goncalves have failed to win an away match in the group qualifiers.

Roger Palmgren, Rwanda's manager, says his opponents' poor record is not going to change on his watch.

Eguavoen is tasked with getting Nigeria's fourth World Cup ticket

"We haven't lost at home under my control and we're not going to lose this game either," he told BBC Sport on Thursday.

The Swede took control of the Amavubi after their 2-0 home defeat to Zimbabwe in July.

"When we played Angola away, we lost 1-0 but actually scored an equaliser in the 82nd minute which the referee disallowed for offside even though it wasn't."

With seven Europe-based players - including Rwanda captain Hamad Ndikumana - coming in for the game, Angola will have an uphill task against the hosts, who vow they are taking Saturday's game seriously.

But an inspired moment from marksmen Fabrice Akwa and Pedro Mantorras is all that Angola might need to book their place amongst football's elite.