Libya’s head coach, Nasser Al-Hadhiri, has acknowledged that the Super Eagles are a stronger side ahead of tomorrow’s 2025 Africa Cup of Nations qualifier.
With only one point from their first two matches, the Mediterranean Knights face a daunting challenge against a resurgent Nigerian team at the Godswill Akpabio Stadium in Uyo.
Poor Record Against Nigeria
Libya has historically struggled against the Super Eagles, managing just one win in their five encounters.
Speaking in his pre-match conference, Hadhiri admitted, “”No team is very close to the Nigerian national team in Africa. They have very good players from Europe. We know the match here is going to be tough. We are playing against a very strong team in Africa.
“We know we don’t stand a chance of winning here in Nigeria, but we are going to make sure to correct our errors in Libya and have a very good result at home.”
The Nigerian side, under interim coach Austin Eguavoen, has shown improvement, earning four points from their two AFCON qualifiers despite their earlier World Cup qualifying setbacks.
This gulf in class makes Nigeria the overwhelming favorite, as Hadhiri concluded, “The Super Eagles players are professionals, and they play in the best clubs in Europe; there’s no way you can compare the Libyan league to the European league.”
Libya’s Hope for a Turnaround
Al-Hadhiri conceded that a victory in Nigeria is unlikely, but he emphasized his team’s focus on improving and securing a better result in the return leg in Libya.
The coach expressed his team’s determination to correct errors and pressure Nigeria, hoping for a different outcome in next Tuesday’s fixture.
