By

Eniola Olatunji

Osim-less Super Eagles will on Friday at the God’swill Akpabio Nest Stadium in Uyo Akwa Ibom State of Nigeria attempt to peck silly the Mediterranean Knights of Libya who are already popping wine that the African Footballer of the year will be missing in the lineup due to injury. 

Victor Osimhen or not theSuper Eagles will be looking forward to push the Knights deeper into the Mediterranean Sea to upgrade the greatest beating ever given to the Libyans which was a 4-0 bashing yet in the African Cup of Nations duel played in Nigeria on 12th October 2018. 

Despite the absence of senior man, Kelechi Ihenacho, Nigeria is waiting for the trio of wingers Ademola Lookman and Simon M oses to combine with Zion Train move of Victor Boniface upfront. 

With Wilfred Nidi, Alex Iwobi and Fisayo Dele-Bashiru in midfield and the quartet of Williams Troost-Ekong, Ola Aina, Calvin Bassey and Semi Ajayi at the back, Nigeria is on standby for a win.

Cover Photo: Ref Godfrey Philip Nkhakanangae of Malawi who will officiate the Match on Friday.

The Knights got to Uyo on Sunday and are hoping for at least a draw to boost their chances of a qualification standing there at the bottom of Group D with a point from a draw and a loss scoring 2 goals and conceding 3.

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.

Well then, the Match officials are as follows: the man at the Centre in Uyo will be Ref Godfrey Philip Nkhakanangae with his fellow Malawians, Clemence Kanduku and Joseph Nyauti running the lines also the 4th Ref Keabetswe Diutwa of Botswana.

Trust Nigerians who are recovering from Coaches ‘wahala’ as they believe Libya will collect ‘wotowoto’, a slang meaning Nigeria will bang in several goals. Libya too dropped their coach along the line and his assistant will be in charge in Uyo.

Namibia will open the Day 3 match fixtures against Zimbabwe from Group J on Wednesday 9th ; Benin will play Rwanda in Abidjan in group D of Nigeria on Friday same time the match in Uyo will be played while Rwanda will host Benin Republic on Tuesday 15th October at 1700 hours Nigerian Time.