In a recent conversation, Augustine Eguavoen, the Interim Head Coach of the Super Eagles, clarified his primary objective for this month: to secure a full six points in the crucial double-header against Libya’s Mediterranean Knights. With the race heating up for qualification to next year’s Africa Cup of Nations, Eguavoen’s intentions are crystal clear.
“The first match is set for Friday evening at the Godswill Akpabio Stadium in Uyo, followed by the return fixture on Tuesday night at the Martyrs of Benina Stadium, just 19 kilometers from Benghazi,” he outlined.
Eguavoen underscored the significance of these matches, stating, “We need to be pragmatic about this. Our most reliable path to the finals is to get those six points against Libya. Securing those points could essentially lock in our position for Morocco even before Matchday 5. We definitely want to avoid any last-minute anxiety as we near the end of this qualifying campaign.”
However, he also recognized a key absence that could affect the team’s performance. “We will be missing Victor Osimhen, who is currently on loan at Galatasaray and dealing with an injury,” Eguavoen revealed. “Still, I have confidence in the other strikers we have on hand to score the goals we need to clinch three points in Uyo and another three in Libya.”
As of Tuesday evening, 20 of the 23 players invited were training in Uyo, while defender Bright Osayi-Samuel and forwards Kelechi Iheanacho and Chidera Ejuke joined the group just a day earlier. At present, Nigeria leads their group with four points from two matches, holding a one-point edge over Benin Republic and a two-point lead over Rwanda. A pair of victories against Libya would boost Nigeria to 10 points, while their nearest competitors continue to face off against each other.
Eguavoen also pointed out the potential implications of the upcoming matches: “If Benin Republic wins both of their games, they could reach nine points, still trailing our anticipated tally of 10. Meanwhile, Rwanda would remain at two points, and Libya at one, with only two matches left in the campaign. If Rwanda manages to secure victories, Benin could find themselves stuck at three points, while Rwanda climbs to eight.”
