The head coach of the senior national team of Libya Nasser Al-Hadiri says his team know that getting a win against the senior national team of Nigeria in today’s AFCON qualifiers game in Uyo is going to be almost impossible, OwnGoalNigeria.com reports.

Bottom of the table Libya heads into today’s game searching for their first win after a draw and a loss in their first two games of the series. Nigeria on the other hand are the group leaders with four points from their first two games.

Ahead of today’s game Al-Hadiri was asked if he thinks his team stand a chance of getting a shock win against Nigeria, and he responded by saying no team in Africa is confident of saying so because the Super Eagles is the best team on the continent.

” Every team in Africa knows how good the Super Eagles is and can’t say they will beat them. So we can’t say we will beat them because they are the best team in Africa with players playing in top leagues”, he explained.

” We will set out our tactics to play and see what we can get from the game, but I am just sure we are at the level where we can say we will get a win against Nigeria. Maybe when we go to our stadium we can hope for that”.

Former coach of the senior national team of Sweden Janne Andersson has revealed the reason behind his decision to snub the offer of becoming the new coach of the senior national team of Nigeria, OwnGoalNigeria.com reports.

Nigeria is been led in interim by the technical director of the football house in Austine Eguavoen for the AFCON qualifiers, where they have picked a 3-0 win over Benin Republic and drew 0-0 away to Rwanda. They will be up against Libya on the 11th and 15th of October respectively.

Like we exclusively reported last month, the 62 year old Swede was picked by the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) for the role of the substantive coach of the Nigerian team, but he declined the offer.

Speaking on his next career move, Andersson said he will be making a decision soon and gave reasons why he snubbed the offer of becoming the new coach of Nigeria. He also confirms receiving an offer from Latvia.

“I received two specific proposals from Latvia and Nigeria, which I chose to decline. Nigeria wanted me to be the national coach. There was a lot that attracted me, but the overall package wasn’t that great”, the coach said.

“It didn’t feel 100 percent right, and it needs to be fully invested”.

Head coach of the senior national team of Nigeria Austine Eguavoen has played down any fears about Victor Boniface struggling to find the back of the net in Friday’s AFCON qualifiers game against Libya, OwnGoalNigeria.com reports.

Boniface has struggled to replicate his form in front of goal for Bayer Leverkusen with the senior national team of Nigeria with just a goal to his name in seven caps. Which includes firing blanks in the team’s 3-0 win over Benin Republic and the 0-0 draw away to Rwanda.

In the absence of Victor Osimhen, the 23 year old who has six goals and one assist in nine games this season is expected to lead the line for the Super Eagles in both games against Libya, starting from today’s game in Uyo.

Eguavoen was asked if he believes the forward will deliver the goals needed to claim all three points ans he bodily said he is sure that Boniface will score today.

” Boniface is a part of this team, he will continue to be a part of this team and he has our support to continue to do well for us. I can tell you that he will score if he gets to play against Libya”, the coach concluded.

The captain of the senior national team of Nigeria William Troost-Ekong has explained why he feels an indigenous coach is best for the team ahead of Friday’s AFCON qualifier game against Libya at the Godswill Akpabio stadium in Uyo, OwnGoalNigeria.com reports.

Ekong while speaking ahead of the game was asked how the players are coping with working with an all Nigerian cast as coaches , after years of working with foreign coaches.

He gave his reasons, top of which is the passion that an indigenous coach brings to the touchline due to the fact that they are representing their county.

“It’s great for Nigeria football, I think it’s the way we can see progress for the long term that we want to see. I’ve always been an advocate for the NPFL and having players and coaches here and that is the way we can continue to grow Nigeria football”, the Al Khaloood of Saudi Arabia defender said at yesterday’s presser.

“It’s exciting for all of us, we are very happy to be here with them. When you have a coach from a country coaching the national team, he adds an extra bit of fashion and real feelings and hunger for all of us to do well.”

“So we have the same target in mind and on the same boat and we want to have success together.”

Head coach of the senior national team of Nigeria Austine Eguavoen is expected to make a late decision on two spots in his starting lineup for today’s AFCON qualifiers game against Libya in Uyo, OwnGoalNigeria.com reports.

Nigeria will be looking to consolidate their top spot in the group after picking four points from their first two games of the series, courtesy of a 3-0 win over Benin Republic and a 0-0 draw away to Rwanda in Kigali.

Ahead of today’s game against Libya in Uyo , Eguavoen who is still occupying the position of the chief coach of the team in interim capacity is yet to decide on two key areas in his starting lineup according to what we exclusively gathered.

While the back four looks set to be the quartet of William Troost-Ekong, Semi Ajayi, Bruno Onyemaechi and Ola Aina. Stanley Nwabali will continue in goal after seeing off a fierce challenge from Maduka Okoye.

In the middle, the coach is yet to decide on who will start between Alex Iwobi and Fisayo Dele-Bashiru in a three man midfield with two slots already taken by the duo Wilfred Ndidi and Frank Onyeka. A decision is expected this morning after a meeting with the rest of the crew.

In attack , Ademola Lookman and Victor Boniface are sure to start but a third spot in attack is far from settled with Moses Simon having the edge over Samuel Chukwueze, who started in both games during the last round of qualifiers.

Simon showed his ability with an assist in the 3-0 win after coming on as a substitute, and his performance at his club and training sessions has left Eguavoen thinking of dropping Chukwueze for the Nantes star.

Six of the seven members television crew who were kidnapped on their way to Uyo to broadcast the Super Eagles AFCON qualifiers game against Libya on Friday have been rescued by the Nigerian police, OwnGoalNigeria.com reports.

In an announcement made public, the Anambra State Police Command said a joint security force successfully rescued six of the seven crew on their way to Uyo , and efforts are ongoing to rescue the remaining member of the crew from his abductors.

Further reports say a security personnel lost his life in the duel with the kidnappers during the process of trying to rescue the kidnapped TV crew.

Below is their statement.

Joint security forces have successfully rescued six members of the media crew who were abducted while travelling from Lagos to Uyo along Isseke-Orlu Road in Ihiala.

Meanwhile, operations are still ongoing for the possible rescuse of the seventh crew member.

_Further development shall be communicated, please_

*SP Tochukwu Ikenga*

Police Public Relations Officer,

Anambra State Police Command.

Awka.

*10th October, 2024*

After a two years absence from the senior national team of Nigeria setup Sevilla winger Chidera Ejuke is back in the fold ahead of their AFCON 2025 qualifiers games against Libya, OwnGoalNigeria.com reports.

Ejuke who made his debut for the Nigerian team in 2020 has 8 caps to his name, but was last called up to the team for the friendly game against Algeria which ended 2-1 in favour of the Algerian side. He was an unused substitute in the game.

His last action for Nigeria came in the 2-0 win over Guinea Bissau at the delayed 2021 Africa Cup of Nations which was played in Cameroon on the 19th of January 2022. Since then he has only gotten one call which he didn’t get to play.

However he is hoping to add to his caps for the team in Friday’s AFCON qualifiers against Libya. Largely due to his new found form at Sevilla which earned him a recall to the team.

” It was clear to me that if I play regularly at a certain level I will be back in the team. The past one year after putting behind all my fitness issues has been the best for me in a while. I believe that is how I got another chance, and I hope to play some part on Friday although it’s depending on the decision of the coach”, he told OwnGoalNigeria.com at yesterday’s media session.

Leicester City midfielder Wilfred Ndidi says he is open to playing any role for the senior national team of Nigeria ahead of their AFCON qualifiers games against Libya, OwnGoalNigeria.com reports.

Mainly deployed as a defensive midfielder for Nigeria and at club level in the past two years , he has however moved higher up the pitch where he now plays a more attacking role for Leicester City in the English Premier League.

The role changed happened last season when Leicester were still in the English Championship, and after a successful promotion to the English Premier League he has maintained his role despite a new manager in Steve Cooper replacing Enzo Maresca.

However for the Super Eagles he has only played in that role once , but there is a huge call for the 27 year old to be handed the role in Friday’s game against Libya at the Godswill Akpabio stadium, after his tally of four assists in seven games in the English Premier League this season making him his team top creator.

” I will play anywhere the coaches want me to play. I am pushing for the best of the team and can’t decide for the coaches. If I am played higher up the pitch then it’s the decision of the coach , if otherwise I will still give my all for the team”, he said at yesterday’s session with the media.

The new number 10 of the senior national team of Nigeria Fisayo Dele-Bashiru says he is not fazed by the pressure that comes with wearing the number 10 shirt of the senior national team of Nigeria made famous by two former captains of the team, OwnGoalNigeria.com reports.

Austine Okocha made the number really famous with his breathtaking skills and dribbling abilities which till date place him in the debate for the best dribbler the world has ever seen. He passed the shirt number to John Obi Mikel who also grew to the rank of captain of the team.

Mikel is fondly remembered for the role he played in the team’s searing run in the world cup 2018 qualifiers, powering them to the tournament with a game to spare despite finding themselves in a group that included then African champions Cameroon and powerhouse Algeria.

Lazio midfielder Fisayo Dele-Bashiru has now taken over the number 10 shirt in the absence of Joe Aribo, who wore the number for a while and after his goal in his first competitive game for the team which was the 1-1 draw against South Africa, he has played in every game since then with the shirt number.

” Legends wore the number before me, but I am not under pressure wearing it. Whatever number I am given the goal is to play for the best of the team, which is always targeted at picking a win. I love it when we win”, he told OwnGoalNigeria.com during yesterday’s media session.

The battle for the number 1 spot of the senior national team of Nigeria between current first choice Stanley Nwabali and Maduka Okoye, who was once occupying that role reached a new height during yesterday’s training, OwnGoalNigeria.com reports.

Yesterday the three goalkeepers in camp with Amas Obasogie completing the trio were up in a shooting session under the watchful eyes of the goalkeeper trainer of the team Abideen Baruwa. They were faced with ferocious hit from the players of the team.

Udinese shot stopper Okoye was top of the pile making stunning saves including an unbelievable finger tip save, which drew applause from almost everyone at the session. His reflexes also caught the eyes showing a possible return that made him top choice for two years ranging from 2020-2022.

However that is not to say the current first choice Stanley Nwabali was outshined as he also gave a good impression of himself. Showing a confidence level that is expected of someone, who has been first choice since January during the AFCON where they went all the way to the final before losing 1-2 to Cote d’Ivoire in the final.

He is still expected to keep his spot as first choice, hence will start in goal in both games against Libya, but he is well aware that Okoye is pushing for his spot which will no doubt bring out the best in him.