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Nigeria will hope to continue with their fine start to the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations qualifiers when they host Libya in the third round of the qualification series at the Godswill Akpabio Stadium in Uyo on Friday (today), PUNCH Sports Extra reports.
While the Super Eagles aim to extend their unbeaten start to the series, the Mediterranean Knights will be aiming for their first win.
The Super Eagles started the qualifiers with a commanding 3-0 victory over Benin Republic before playing a goalless draw away at Rwanda a couple of days later in Kigali.
Austin Eguavoen’s side is currently top of Group D with four points and are the only team yet to concede a goal in the group. A doubleheader victory over Libya will see them move clear and edge closer to securing qualification, a scenario that the interim coach hopes will play out.
“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,” the coach said ahead of their encounter with the Libyans.
Today’s meeting between Nigeria and Libya will be the fifth time both countries face each other, with the Eagles winning all four previous encounters, including two games in the AFCON qualifiers back in 2018.
Eguavoen, whose side have only lost one of their last 14 AFCON qualifying matches, will hope to maintain their impressive form and continue their dominance of the visitors.
Tasked with the duty of guiding Nigeria to the 2025 AFCON finals in Morocco, the interim coach knows his side must be wary of the Libyans, who are yet to pick up a win in their qualifying campaign.
“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,” he added.
Nigeria head into today’s encounter without talisman Victor Osimhen, but do have enough quality in the team to get the job done against the visitors, who arrived in Uyo with a new coach.
Unimpressed by their first two results and in search of their first AFCON ticket in 12 years, the Libya FA sacked much-travelled Serbian coach Milutin Sredojevic and shortly after engaged Nasser Al-Hadiri as his replacement.
Libya were held to a 1-1 draw by Rwanda in their opening match of the qualifiers before losing 2-1 to Benin in their second match.
The Mediterranean Knights took the lead in the ninth minute from the spot via Faisal Al Badri, but a 12-minute spell in the second half saw them concede two goals that cost them the game.
Newly appointed head coach Al-Hadiri will hope his side picks up valuable points against Nigeria as they look to end their 12-year AFCON absence.
Libya’s last appearance in the continental showpiece came in 2012, but they are currently bottom of Group D with one point and will have to quickly turn things around if they are to end this run.
