Victor Osimhen’s absence and the key lessons from the Super Eagles victory Against Libya

1 month ago 25

The Super Eagles of Nigeria claimed another win in the Africa Cup of Nations qualification fixture against Libya
A late strike, courtesy of Fisayo Dele-Bashiru, secured a crucial victory for coach Augustine Eguavoen’s side
We shine the spotlight on key takeaways from the Super Eagles' victory against the Mediterranean Knights

The Super Eagles of Nigeria secured another victory in the ongoing 2025 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) qualification fixture against Libya.

The Nigerian team, who have been imperious under the leadership of interim manager, Augustine Eguavoen, were forced to labour quite hard for the victory.

The Libyan team, through what have often been widely dubbed as ‘dark arts,’ were able to hold the Super Eagles until the 87th minute of the encounter, when a goal from Fisayo Dele-Bashiru, latching onto a cross from Moses Simon, translated to the solitary goal that secured victory for Nigeria.

Players of the Super Eagles of Nigeria pose for a team photo

The aftermath of the victory, which keeps Nigeria atop their group according to data courtesy of FotMob, has continued to be heralded by a flurry of conversations from the camps of both teams.

In light of this, we shine the spotlight on key things we learned as the Super Eagles clinched victory against Libya.

Takeaways from Nigeria vs Libya clash

Osimhen’s absence and Boniface’s struggle

While the Super Eagles were utterly dominant in their clash against Libya, the lackluster performance of Victor Boniface caught the attention of many.

The 23-year-old, who was expected to fill the void left by the injured Victor Osimhen, largely underperformed and was substituted for Taiwo Awoniyi in the second half.

Boniface’s struggles prompted coach Augustine Eguavoen to address the media, stating, as reported by AllNigeriaSoccer, that he would have a conversation with the forward to help him regain his form for the national team.

So far, the Bayer Leverkusen forward has not scored in his nine appearances for the Super Eagles.

Libya’s dark arts and low-block

The Libyan team, under new coach Nasser Al Hadari, entered the encounter with a rather bizarre strategy of playing a low block and engaging in time-wasting tactics.

These tactics seemed effective until the Nigerian team found a way to breach the Libyan defence in the 87th minute.

Although the Mediterranean Knights were the underdogs against the Super Eagles, their performance that night served as a subtle wake-up call for Nigeria.

It highlighted the need for the Super Eagles to devise a more effective strategy to tackle opponents who employ low-block defences.

Controversial refereeing decisions

The appointment of the centre referee for Nigeria’s clash against Libya raised eyebrows, particularly given that he had recently been suspended for questionable officiating decisions in his native Malawi in 2023.

Referee Godfrey Nkhakananga, however, failed to cover himself in glory, as he wrongly disallowed a goal from Ademola Lookman in the 83rd minute for offside.

The Confederation of African Football (CAF) may want to reconsider its selection of referees for crucial fixtures like this, especially considering the significance of the occasion.