Nigeria will hope to proceed with their high quality begin to the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations qualifiers after they host Libya in the third spherical of the qualification collection on the Godswill Akpabio Stadium in Uyo on Friday (right this moment), PUNCH Sports Extra reviews.
While the Super Eagles aim to lengthen their unbeaten begin to the collection, the Mediterranean Knights shall be aiming for his or her first win.
The Super Eagles began the qualifiers with a commanding 3-0 victory over Benin Republic earlier than taking part in a goalless draw away at Rwanda a few days later in Kigali.
Austin Eguavoen’s facet is at the moment prime of Group D with 4 factors and are the one crew but to concede a objective in the group. A doubleheader victory over Libya will see them transfer clear and edge nearer to securing qualification, a state of affairs 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 stated forward of their encounter with the Libyans.
Today’s assembly between Nigeria and Libya would be the fifth time each nations face one another, with the Eagles profitable all 4 earlier encounters, together with two video games in the AFCON qualifiers again in 2018.
Eguavoen, whose facet have solely misplaced one among their final 14 AFCON qualifying matches, will hope to keep their spectacular type and proceed their dominance of the guests.
Tasked with the obligation of guiding Nigeria to the 2025 AFCON finals in Morocco, the interim coach is aware of his facet should be cautious of the Libyans, who're but to decide up a win in their qualifying marketing 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 right this moment’s encounter with out talisman Victor Osimhen, however do have sufficient high quality in the crew to get the job achieved in opposition to the guests, who arrived in Uyo with a brand new coach.
Unimpressed by their first two outcomes 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 substitute.
Libya had been held to a 1-1 draw by Rwanda in their opening match of the qualifiers earlier than dropping 2-1 to Benin in their second match.
The Mediterranean Knights took the lead in the ninth minute from the spot through Faisal Al Badri, however a 12-minute spell in the second half noticed them concede two objectives that price them the sport.
Newly appointed head coach Al-Hadiri will hope his facet picks up precious factors in opposition to Nigeria as they give the impression of being to finish their 12-year AFCON absence.
Libya’s final look in the continental showpiece got here in 2012, however they're at the moment backside of Group D with one level and may have to shortly flip issues round if they're to finish this run.
