By

Eniola Olatunji 

Nigeria’s Super Eagles on Friday at the God’swill Akpabio Stadium, Uyo managed to clinch a vital 1-0 victory over the Medittareanian Knights of Libya to remain on top of Group D of the 2025 African Cup of Nations Qualifier.

The Libyans defended with their bodies; blocked with their teeth and exhibited the usual time wasting tactics that angered the Centre Ref to flash two yellow cards one to the goalkeeper, Murad Al Wahashi of Al-Ahly SC of Libya who together with Moustapha saved Libya from conceding an avalanche of goals.

While the Libyans were busy ensuring that Ademoka Lookman could not breathe, Simon Moses dribbled brilliantly on the left flank and found an unmarked substitute Fisayo Dele-Basiru who fundamentally beat the Libyan goalkeeper for the coveted goal. 

Moustapha would have given Nigeria an own goal from the desperate defending in the 34th minute but it rolled into Nigeria’s 2nd corner kick. The Libyan Goalie fell on the turf and the Ref gave him last warning for time wasting.

Nigeria’s goal came as Benin Republic was celebrating a 3-0 victory over Rwanda at the Stade Felix Houphouet Boigny in Abidjan thinking the Nigerian neighbors were moving to the top of the Group D table.

Nigeria leads Group D with 7 points scoring 4 goals with the only clean slate of the group; Benin has 6 points scoring 5 goals and conceding 4 to be 2nd; Rwanda is still 3rd with 2 points scoring one goal and conceding 4 while Libya stays down with one point scoring 2 goals and conceding 4.

Nigeria had 15-2 shots at goal with 7-0 on target; dominated with 64-36%; stringed 470-278 passes with the only two yellow cards to Libya and had 6-0 corner kicks. You can read the frustration on the Libyan faces when Nigeria scored for their coach had said Libya will frustrate Nigeria the way Saudi Arabia frustrated Argentina at the world cup and got a draw.

Scorers for Benin Republic were Steve Mounie who netted the goal in the 7th minute from Jodel Dossou pass; Andreas Hountondji scored the 2nd goal 67th minute from a Moumini pass and Midfielder, Hassane Imourane got the 3rd goal in the 70th minute. 
 
Augustine Eguavoen played 25 matches, won 15, drew 4 and lost 6. He first led the Eagles in 2005 after taking over from Christian Chukwu and on 17th August 2005 he played 1-1 with Libya in a friendly match.

That is not comparable to the Super Eagles who are leading the group for now with a clean slate (not conceding a goal) in two matches but scoring 4 goals and chalking 4 points compared to Benin Republic who are 2nd with 3 points scoring 2 goals and conceding 4 goals and Rwanda placing 3rd with 2 points scoring one goal and conceding a goal.

Nigeria ranked 39th in the world looks like a Goliath meeting not a warrior David but the less fancied Amalekites in Libya who is ranked 121 in the world and the four head to head meetings make Libya look like minnows.

On the 16th August 2005 Libya lost a friendly match 0-1 in Tripoli; lost a CHAN match 0-1 to Nigeria on 19th January 2018; got bashed 4-0 by Nigeria on 12th October 2018 and on 16th October 2018lost to Nigeria at home 2-3 both last two matches of the AFCON qualifiers like this. 

So you can see the panic from the Libyan Football Federation to have dragged the Super Eagles to the Sea side of the Mediterranean for the second leg on Tuesday 15th October and at Rwanda at home on 4th September both in the AFCON Qualifiers; she lost her world cup qualifier match against Cape Verde on 11th June by a lone goal on 11th June after winning 2-1 over Mauritius in Libya also in WCQ but she played 1-1 with Togo on 26th March and defeated Burkina Faso at home on 22nd March.

Nigeria had drawn 0-0 with Rwanda away on 10th September after a sweet 3-0 revenge over Benin Republic on 7th September both in AFCONQ; Nigeria lost to Benin Republic in Abidjan 2-1 in the WCQ on 10th June and played 1-1 with South Africa at Uyo on 7th June also in WCQ but lost to Mali 0-2 on 26th March and beat Ghana 2-1 both in friendly matches.

Libya has been to only three AFCON finals hosting in 1982 to lose to Ghana on penalties 7-6 after 1-1 at full time. Libya that year beat Zambia 2-1 in the semifinal at Tripoli and Ghana piped Algeria 3-2 after extra time at Benghazi in the 2nd semifinal.

Nigeria is a doyen of AFCON Games with 18 appearances winning the title thrice in 1980, 1994 and 2013. She won the Silver 4 times in 1984, 1988, 1990 and 2000. She won the Bronze medals 7 times in 1976, 1978, 1992, 2002, 2004, 2006 and 2010.

Ref Godfrey Philip Nkhakanangae Nkhakanangae has a controversial status that CAF did not resolve before his appointment to handle the match in Uyo as he was suspended for four months last year for poor officiating during an Airtel Top 8 Cup match between Silver Strikers and Mighty Wanderers in Malawi. 

Nigeria plays Libya on the 2nd leg on Tuesday at 8pm Nigerian Time at Matyrs of February Stadium, Benina, Benghazi Libya same day Rwanda will host Benin Republic at the Amahoro Stadium, Kigali at 5pm Nigerian Time.

In matches decided today, Guinea piped Liberia 1-0; Mozambique and Eswatini played 1-1; Zambia and Chad played goalless draw; Madagascar and Gambia played 1-1; Cameroon slammed Kenya 4-1; Uganda piped South Sudan 1-0; Egypt got a 2-0 win over Mauritania and South Africa thrashed Congo 4-0.