Coach Augustine Eguavoen has set a goal of maximum six points from this month’s double header between the Super Eagles and Libya’s Mediterranean Knights in AFCON 2025 qualifiers’ Group D attrition as the race to next year’s Africa Cup of Nations finals hots up.
Nigeria will host the first game at the Godswill Akpabio International Stadium, Uyo, Akwa Ibom State on Friday evening, with the return leg at the Martyrs of Benina Stadium in Benina, 19 kilometres from Libya’s second largest city of Benghazi, on Tuesday 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, and be somewhat guaranteed of 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,” Eguavoen stated.
Twenty of 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.
Leaders Nigeria have 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, while both teams on Nigeria’s heels were in attrition and were bound to chop at each other’s advantage one way or the other.
Wins 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 in hand before the final round of games,” Eguavoen reiterated.
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 the Akwa Ibom State capital.
The Confederation of African Football (CAF) has also appointed Nkhakananga’s compatriots, Clemence Kanduku and Joseph Nyauti as assistant referees 1 ad 2 respectively, while Botswanan Keabetswe Dintwa will serve as fourth official.
Cape Verdean, Delgado Rocha, to take charge of Libya, Nigeria battle in Benina.
CAF has appointed Delgado Santos Rocha Lenine, from Cape Verde, as referee for Tuesday’s 2025 Africa Cup of Nations qualifying match between the Super Eagles and the Mediterranean Knights of Libya at the Martyrs of Benina Stadium in Benina, close to Benghazi.
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 in the role of commissioner, with Malian Dramane Dante as referee assessor and Rachid Medjiba from Algeria as security officer.
Tuesday’s encounter, which is at the back-end of a double header between both nations, will kick off at 9pm Libya time (8pm Nigerian time).
