2025 AFCON QUALIER: Super Eagles Knocks Mediterranean Knights of Libya
BY:
OSABUOHIEN IMUETINYANOSA.
The super eagles of Nigeria hosted the Mediterranean Knights of Libya for the 2025 AFCON qualifiers at the Godswill Akpabio International Stadium in Uyo on Friday. The visitors gave a spectacular show of preparedness for fans home and away and their defence mechanism paid off until the late periods left in the second half.
Augustine Eguavoen the interim coach couldn’t but stood waiting for the team to bring home the leading goal as the Mediterranean Knights in the first 45 minutes withstood the super eagles from taking the lead despite all promising attempts on goal but the last straw that broke the camel’s back came in 87th minutes of the second half as Dele Bashiru came to the rescue with a superb strick that wobbled the back of the net and the goal keeper couldn’t move a muscle as he stood dead to see the ball already through.
The Super Eagles coach admited that the defensive mechanism of the Mediterranean Knights paid off to have kept the super eagles with a goalless first half.
The interim coach was rightly captured giving thanks to God for the victory of maximum points still heading the group D.
“Emotions were high, and when the goal came, it was a huge relief. Actually, we should have scored more goals but the tactics that they deployed was compact as they defended in numbers when the ball was in their area.
“We were a bit slow in the first-half, but the boys picked up in the second half and ball circulation became faster as instructed. The last 25 minutes was better,” Eguaveon said.
The Super Eagles Captain, William Ekong was outspoken to his ethnic country men lifting up hopes and expectations that the super eagles are sure to qualify in 2025 AFCON in Morocco.
On the other hand Eguavoen proves to be promising with the team and assuring his country men that strategies will be revisited and new approaches will be employed in their return match in Libya on Tuesday.
