Eguavoen Anticipates Tough Super Eagles, Libya Clash

Femi Solaja

Super Eagles interim coach, Augustine Eguavoen, has admitted that Nigeria will face a tough challenge from Libya in their upcoming 2025 Africa Cup of Nations qualifier but remains confident his team will secure victory.

The Super Eagles stay top in Group D with four points from two matches and will take on the highly depleted Mediterranean Knights in Uyo on Friday.

Eguavoen acknowledged the challenge Libya poses, despite their position at the bottom of the group with just one point.

“They will come here and fight and we are not even thinking of the return match next week but our focus is the game in front of us on Friday,” Eguavoen explained yesterday at a media briefing in Uyo.

He stressed the importance of claiming all three points, saying, “We know what it means to get the job done as quickly as possible.”

Despite his optimism, Eguavoen also expressed frustration over the absence of star forward Victor Osimhen, who sustained a muscle injury during Galatasaray’s clash with Kenneth Omeruo’s Kasimpasa in the Turkish Lig.

Osimhen’s injury will keep him sidelined for at least three weeks, ruling him out of the crucial AFCON qualifying matches.

“It’s a huge miss. We all know how important and impactful Osimhen can be, but we have other players who can do the job,” Eguavoen said. “He’s not here physically, but he’s with us spiritually.”

Super Eagles will face Libya on October 11th and 15th, hoping to secure their spot in the 2025 AFCON tournament.

Twenty Super Eagles players were in camp at their Four Points, Ikot Ekpene base as at yesterday’s evening training. They  include; Amas Obasogie,  Stanley Nwabali,  Wilfred Ndidi, Frank Onyeka,  Raphael Onyedika, 

Fisayo Dele-Bashiru,  Victor Boniface,  Samuel Chukwueze,  Benjamin Tanimu, 

Maduka Okoye, William Troost-Ekong,  Calvin Bassey,  Semi Ajayi,  Ademola Lookman,  Bruno Onyemaechi,  Taiwo Awoniyi, Alex Iwobi,  Moses Simon, Alhassan Yusuf and  Ola Aina.