….Benin Republic Begs Nigeria to Beat Rwanda Silly in Uyo.
The Mediterranean Knights of Libya can still qualify for the 35th African Cup of Nations tournament in Morocco next year from group D but that will be per kindness of the Super Eagles of Nigeria who they bruised on their grounds last September in the same qualifying rounds.
The Super Eagles are sure quilters for the finals in Morocco with a gapping lead of 11 points scoring 8 goals and conceding just a goal but the three other teams will have to go through a photo finish to qualify and that is where Libya has hopes probably built on Nigeria.
Libya only needs 4 clean goals to beat The Cheetahs of Benin Republic in the last lap of the qualifier on Monday at the 65,000 capacity stadium at 11 June Stadium in the heart of Tripoli.
The Libyans have hit the Mosques praying that Nigeria should have mercy on them and beat Rwanda silly at the God’swill Akpabio Stadium, Uyo also on Monday by same time of 5pm.
If that prayer is answered, and Libya wins well, Libya will chalk 7 points equaling Benin Republic points of 7 points and Libya will move on by goals aggregate, then a defeated Amavubi Rwanda by Nigeria will stay at 5 points and will use the exit door.
Here is the table of Group D:
Nation w D L GF GA GD Pts
Ngr 3 2 0 8 1 +7 11
Ben 2 1 2 7 7 0 7
Rwa 1 2 2 3 6 -3 5
Lib 1 1 3 3 7 -4 4
Libya may have a road block in Augustine Eguavoen aka Cerazo who told NFF.Tv that Nigeria will not harbor any boardroom soccer as the Super Eagles will not lose any match in the qualifier meaning Libya should forget the hope of advancement.
The tactics of North African teams to win matches by default that backfired against Nigeria when CAF awarded 3 points and 3 goals against Libya is on the front burner as Benin Coach, Gernot Rhor is spitting fire threatening that if Libya give them the Nigerian treatment or slightest problem, Benin will leave their shores like Nigeria even as Rhor who was former Nigerian Coach has pleaded to his former wards to beat Rwanda for Benin Republic at least “for the Yoruba Connection language of both countries”.
Who will mediate for the Mediterranean Knights in their hour of need? Can a diplomatic shuttle to President Bola Tinubu do it? Probably no because he was so vexed at the last incident that he summoned the Libyan Ambassador to Nigeria for a WAEC exam to come, explain and annotate with diagrams what happened in Benghazi.
Football Observers believe there will be no hullabaloo in Tripoli which is controlled by another Government different to the restless one that controls the East of Libya where Benghazi is. More so, CAF is watching the four nations in group D.
You can be sure the Bola Tinubu Government, the new Nigeria Sports Commission and the NFF will sing Libya, Fela Anikulapo Kuti’s song: “NO AGREEMENT TODAY, NO AGREEMENT TOMORROW”. Nigeria will gun for a win in Uyo on Monday if at all to teach Libya a vital lesson.
Rwanda has never defeated the Super Eagles in football. The two countries met 5 times with Nigeria making the only win and other 4 matches were drawn games. There were 4 goals scored three of which were from Nigeria. The two teams met thrice in AFCON games with Nigeria getting a win and the others were draws.
On 5th June 2005 Nigeria and Rwanda played 1-1 draw and the last time both met on 10th September 2024 in Kigali, it was a goalless draw. On 29th February 2012 it was goalless in an AFCON match in Kigali while Nigeria won at Uyo 2-0 in the 2nd leg of that AFCON encounter on 6th June 2012. In a CHAN match played on 15th January 2018 Nigeria played a goalless draw.
Nigerian ranked 36 by FIFA and Rwanda ranked 126 shows Nigeria is expected to have the advantage. Nigeria has been unbeaten in their last four home games.
Libya and Benin Republic have played 5 games between them Libya won twice and Benin Republic won thrice no draw. A total 11 goals were scored between them, 5 from Libya and 6 from Benin.
On 9th October 2005 Benin beat Libya by a lone goal in a world cup qualifier and the last time both teams met in a competitive match on 10th September 2024 Benin won at Abidjan by 2-1. The three other matches were Friendly games where Benin won by a lone goal on 6th January 2010; Libya won the other two played on their home grounds on 9th February 2011 3-2 and on 18th November 2013 by a lone goal.
Libya has not scored more than two goals in a match in her last 5 matches so getting 4 goals to beat Benin on Monday may be a tall or matches.
Benin has not scored more than 3 goals in a single match in her last 5 matches. The 3-0 home win against Rwanda on 11th October is her highest. She also lost 1-2 to Rwanda on 15th October and again lost 0-2 to Togo away on 25th October.
Already 16 teams have qualified for Morocco 2025 including Nigeria. Incidentally the highest goal scorer so far in the qualifiers is Serhou Guirassy of Benin Republic with 5 goals; Braham Diaz of Morocco has 4 goals while Trezeguet of Egypt; Amine Gourir of Algeria; Jean Philippe-Krassa of Ivory Coast and Sadio Mane of Senegal has 3 goals each. Ademola Lookman and Victor Osimhen have 2 goals each.
Eniola Olatunji reporting for Patmos Media Line.
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