2025 AFCON: Eguavoen targets double over Libya

The Super Eagles Head Coach, Augustine Eguavoen, has set a target of a maximum of six points from this month’s double header against Libya’s Mediterranean Knights in a Group D match of the Morocco 2025 Africa Cup of Nations qualifier.

The Director of Communications, Nigeria Football Federation, Ademola Olajire, stated this in a statement on Tuesday in Abuja.

Nigeria hosts the first game at the Godswill Akpabio Stadium, Uyo on Friday evening, with the return at the Martyrs of Benina Stadium in Benina, Libya’s second city Benghazi, on Wednesday 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 with Libya.

“We will be somewhat guaranteed a place in Morocco even before Matchday 5. We don’t want to be in any anxiety in the run-in in 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 the three points in Uyo, and the three points in Libya,“ he said.

NAN reports that 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.

Nigeria has four points from their two matches so far, one point ahead of Benin Republic and two ahead of Rwanda. The Eagles will go to 10 points with a double win over Libya.

Victories 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 one.

With only two matches left in the campaign, wins for Rwanda will leave Benin Republic stuck at three points and Rwanda at eight.

“There are possibilities and opportunities for us to sail home at the end of these two matches, and we will do our best to take our chances and have the ticket,” Eguavoen said.

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 centre during Friday’s encounter, alongside the other match officials, are already in Uyo.

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 fourth official.

Cape Verdean, Delgado Rocha will be in charge of the Libya, Nigeria battle in Benina.

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 fourth official.

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

At the back end of a doubleheader between both nations, Tuesday’s encounter will kick off at 9 pm Libya time (8pm Nigeria time).

NAN