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After finishing as runners’ up at the 2023 CAF Africa Cup of Nations earlier this year, the Nigerian national side are looking to properly assert their authority as one of Africa’s best sides and they face Libya in Lagos this week.
KICK-OFF DATE/TIME: Friday 11th October, 2024 - UK – 5:00pm / US ET – 12:00pm / US PT – 9:00am
HOW TO WATCH ON TV: UK – Not televised / US – beIN Sports
HOW TO WATCH ONLINE: UK – Cannot be streamed / US – beIN Sports streaming platforms
NIGERIA PREVIEW: SUPER SUPER EAGLES
Under the management of former Porto boss Jose Peseiro, Nigeria’s performances were quite underwhelming but the Super Eagles did manage to grind their way to the final of the recent AFCON before losing to the Ivory Coast.
They had been manager-less ever since that tournament earlier this year and former coach Augustine Eguavoen remains in place on an interim basis. They do have an impressive squad and began their 2025 AFCON qualification campaign with back-to-back wins last month.
LIBYA PREVIEW: LIBYA’S RECENT YEARS
Coached by the relatively unknown Nasser Al-Hadhirinew, the Libyan national team are currently ranked 121st in the world and are declining in performances and results despite an improvement a few years ago.
‘The Mediterranean Knights’, as they are nicknamed, began their 2025 CAF Africa Cup of Nations qualifying campaign with a 1-1 draw with Rwanda before then suffering a 2-1 defeat to Benin a few days later during the September international break.
NIGERIA TEAM NEWS: ATTACKING QUALITY
Nigeria’s squad is difficult to select an eleven from due to the sheer amount of quality that they have in attack with the likes of Victor Osimhen, Victor Boniface, Ademola Lookman, Samuel Chukwueze and Moses Simon.
PREDICTED XI (3-4-3): Nwabali; Ajayi, Troost-Ekong, Bassey; Aina, Ndidi, Dele-Bashiru, Onyemaechi; Chukwueze, Osimhen, Lookman
UNAVAILABLE:
QUESTIONABLE: Osayi-Samuel (Injured)
LIBYA TEAM NEWS: WEAK SQUAD
Libya have no injury concerns or suspension issues for this trip to Lagos but they do have quite a weak squad with the only players perhaps worth noting being Barcelona B man Ahmed Elmsmari as well as Ahmed Kraouaa and defender Ali Youssef.
PREDICTED XI (4-5-1): Al Woheshi; Ali, Yousef, Arteeba, Al Dhawi; Aliaddawi, Mukhtar Al Shremi, Shafshuf, Al Qulaib; Ekrawa
UNAVAILABLE:
QUESTIONABLE:
NIGERIA VS LIBYA PREDICTION
The Nigerian FA is often quite chaotic and can lack organisation that pretty much any Football Association of their size and stature would be a little bit embarrassed about but they often have the quality in attack to get away with their underperformance. The Libyans have underwhelmed quite significantly in recent years and, despite Nigeria’s untrustworthiness, a comfortable home win remains the likeliest outcome.
NIGERIA VS LIBYA TIP: NIGERIA TO WIN