Morocco 2025: Eguavoen targets double over Libya that will send Eagles to final tournament

Posted : 10 October 2024

The Head Coach of the Super Eagles, Augustine Eguavoen, has set the objective of securing a maximum of six points from this month’s double-header against Libya’s Mediterranean Knights in the teams’ Group D match as the race to next year’s Africa Cup of Nations finals intensifies.

Nigeria will host the first game at the Godswill Akpabio Stadium in Uyo on Friday evening, with the return match at the Martyrs of Benina Stadium in Benina, located 19 kilometers from Libya’s second city, Benghazi, on Tuesday night.

“We have to be practical about it: our best and surest route to the finals will be to pick up the six points in the matches against Libya, which will somewhat guarantee us a place in Morocco even before Matchday 5.

“We don’t want to experience any anxiety in the run-in of this qualifying campaign.

“I admit we will miss Victor (Osimhen), but I believe in the other strikers available to get us the goals that will give us three points in Uyo and three points in Libya.”

Twenty of the 23 invited players trained in Uyo on Tuesday evening, with defender Bright Osayi-Samuel and forwards Kelechi Iheanacho and Chidera Ejuke arriving on Wednesday morning.

Leaders Nigeria have four points from their two matches so far, one point ahead of Benin Republic and two ahead of Rwanda.

The Eagles will reach 10 points with a double win over Libya, while both teams chasing Nigeria are bound to interfere with each other’s advantage in one way or another.

Wins for Benin Republic in both matches will take them to nine points, still short of Nigeria’s probable tally of 10, but Rwanda will remain stuck at two and Libya at one, with only two matches left in the campaign.

Victories for Rwanda will leave Benin Republic stuck at three points and Rwanda at eight.

“There are possibilities and opportunities for us to secure our advancement at the end of these two matches, and we will do our best to take our chances and have the ticket in hand before the final round of games,” Eguavoen reiterated.

The delegation of Libya’s Mediterranean Knights landed at the Port Harcourt International Airport around noon on Tuesday before moving to Uyo by road.

Malawian referee Godfrey Philip Nkhakananga, who will be at the center during Friday’s encounter, along with the other match officials, is already in the Akwa Ibom State capital.

The Confederation of African Football has also appointed Nkhakananga’s compatriots, Clemence Kanduku and Joseph Nyauti, as assistant referees 1 and 2, respectively, while Botswanan Keabetswe Dintwa will serve as the fourth official.

Cape Verdean Delgado Rocha will take charge of the Libya-Nigeria battle in Benina.

The Confederation of African Football has appointed Delgado Santos Rocha Lenine from Cape Verde as the referee for Tuesday’s 2025 Africa Cup of Nations qualifying match between the Super Eagles and the Mediterranean Knights of Libya at the Martyrs of Benina Stadium in Benina, close to Benghazi.

He will be assisted by compatriots Djêry Gomes Lopes (assistant referee 1) and Jorge Santos Fonseca Aritson (assistant referee 2), with Hamidou Diero from Burkina Faso as the fourth official.

Amir Abdi Hassan from Somalia will serve as the commissioner, with Malian Dramane Dante as the referee assessor and Rachid Medjiba from Algeria as the security officer.

Tuesday’s encounter, which is part of a double-header between both nations, will kick off at 9 PM Libya time (8 PM Nigeria time).

Morocco 2025: Eguavoen targets double over Libya that will send Eagles to final tournament

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