Super Eagles of Nigeria is set to continue their quest for a spot at the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations as they host Libya in the third round of qualifiers at the Godswill Akpabio Stadium in Uyo, Akwa Ibom State, today, Friday.
The Super Eagles, who have started the qualification series on a strong note, are keen to extend their unbeaten run, while their opponents, the Mediterranean Knights, will be in search of their first victory in the group.
The Super Eagles kicked off their campaign with a dominant 3-0 win against Benin Republic and followed it up with a hard-fought goalless draw away to Rwanda in Kigali.
Austin Eguavoen’s team currently leads Group D with four points, standing out as the only side in the group yet to concede a goal.
A pair of wins in this doubleheader against Libya would see them extend their lead and move closer to securing their place in Morocco for the 2025 AFCON, a scenario that Eguavoen, the interim head coach, is eager to see unfold.
“The boys are ready to fight for those three points. Every second counts, and we know what it means to get the job done and over with as early as possible. It is going to be tough, but I think at the end of the day, with the boys we have in the team, they will deliver,” said Eguavoen ahead of the clash with Libya.
This encounter marks the fifth meeting between Nigeria and Libya, with the Super Eagles boasting a perfect record of four wins in their previous encounters.
Notably, Nigeria triumphed twice against Libya in the 2018 AFCON qualifiers. Eguavoen’s side is riding high, having lost just once in their last 14 AFCON qualifiers, and the coach will be aiming to maintain that strong form while extending Nigeria’s dominance over their North African rivals.
Tasked with securing Nigeria’s qualification to the 2025 AFCON, Eguavoen is aware that despite Libya’s struggles so far, the visitors remain a potential threat.
Winless in their first two games, the Libyans are desperate to turn their fortunes around, and Eguavoen is urging his players to remain focused.
“They [Libya] are down, but it doesn’t mean that they can’t rise because they have a couple of games to play. I know they will come here and fight, and we are also going to fight too. Let’s forget about the past games and look ahead to the Libya game, and our focus is on the home game in front of us,” Eguavoen added.
Although Nigeria will be without star striker Victor Osimhen for this match, the Super Eagles are still confident in their squad depth.
They are determined to get the job done against a Libyan side led by new coach Nasser Al-Hadiri, who recently replaced Serbian tactician Milutin Sredojevic after a poor start to the qualifying campaign.
Libya opened their campaign with a 1-1 draw against Rwanda but followed it up with a disappointing 2-1 defeat to Benin, in which they had taken the lead through a Faisal Al Badri penalty in the ninth minute before conceding two quick goals in the second half.
Sitting at the bottom of Group D with just one point, Libya’s chances of ending their 12-year absence from the AFCON hang in the balance, and Al-Hadiri will be eager to turn their fortunes around, starting with a strong performance against Nigeria.
Libya’s last appearance in the AFCON was back in 2012, and they are desperate to break their long spell of missing out on the continent’s premier football competition.
However, if they are to do so, they must quickly find a way to collect points against the top teams in the group, starting with today’s tough test in Uyo.
