Julius OkorieSuper Eagles coach Austin Eguavoen has admitted initial scare against the Knights of Libya in the first leg of their two-legged AFCON Qualifiers.
Eagles earned a hard won lone goal victory over the Libyans on Friday at the Godswill Akpabio Stadium claiming the three points at stake in the bargain.
Join our WhatsApp ChannelEguavoen, however, admitted that it was a tough match as the Libyans adopted all round defensive tactics.
The Eagles according to him, played well and would have scored more goals but noted that the visitors practically packed the bus through mass defense in front of goal.
He, however, expressed satisfaction with the three points in the kitty, describing it as the most important thing and a huge relief.
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“It’s a huge, huge relief for me and the boys. Three points were important to get. We got it. I expected us to score more goals but for some reason, we didn’t find the back of the net early enough because of the tactics the Libyans deployed.
“But overall, we’re very happy. Three points are very important. We still maintain the first position in the log,” Eguavoen stated.
Eguavoen noted a mix of emotions during the game, admitting, “I was feeling bad, but again, I was also happy that the boys were on top of the game, especially the second half and towards the last 20 minutes of the game.
“They kept pushing, possessing the ball very well, but mindful of the rear as well because the Libyans had a clear strategy for the way they wanted to play – to try to get the ball and then go forward as quickly as possible. Both emotions were high. When the goal came, it was a huge, huge relief.”
Nigeria still leads the group with seven points from three matches and will be heading to Libya for the return leg on Tuesday, where a win for the team would seal their place in the continental tournament. The Eagles are seeking their fourth AFCON title having won in 1980, 1994 and 2013.
The dream of winning for the fourth time came very close at the last edition hosted and won by Cote d’ Ivoire with Nigeria finishing second after a hard fought final.
The second leg on Tuesday promises to be tougher for the Eagles as the Libyans with just a point in three matches played will be hoping to at least prove to the home fans that they are fighting hard.
The possibility of qualifying for the next AFCON is however practically non-existent for the Libyans as the odds favour the three teams already ahead in the group especially Nigeria with seven points and Benin Republic with six points with Rwanda equally walking a tight rope with just two points.
Julius Okorie is Chief Sports and Entertainment Correspondent for Prime Business Africa. He began his journalism career with the Champion Newspaper and Sporting Champion and later moved on to Daily Independent and the Nation Newspapers. Okorie joined Prime Business Africa in 2024 bringing on board 20 years of experience in writing investigative news on Sports and Entertainment. His well researched and highly informative articles on Sports Business and general entertainment are followed by a wide range of audience.
