Interim head coach of the Super Eagles, Austin Eguavoen, has criticised Libya's time-wasting tactics during their clash in the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON 2025) qualifiers on Friday.
Facing a star-studded Nigerian side, Libya's coach Nasser Al-Hadiri adopted an extremely conservative approach, employing a deep 5-4-1 formation and seldom venturing into Nigeria's half.
Eguavoen's men controlled possession for much of the game but struggled to convert it into goal-scoring opportunities, particularly in the first half. However, they found their breakthrough when substitute Fisayo Dele-Bashiru expertly converted a cross from Moses Simon, securing a narrow victory for the Super Eagles over the Mediterranean Knights.
Despite Libya's potential to play a more dynamic game, Eguavoen urged them to embrace a more straightforward approach, stressing the importance of authentic play in football.
Eguavoen reflects on Libya's tactics vs Super Eagles
In his post-match analysis, Eguavoen expressed his frustration with Libya's tactics during Nigeria's narrow victory.
He said, “I think the Libyans used delay tactics because we have our timekeepers… They wasted 14 to 15 minutes out of the 45 minutes, which is not so good.”
Despite acknowledging Libya's potential, the former Super Eagles captain urged them to embrace a more straightforward approach, stating, “They are a good side; you could see that they could move the ball if they wanted to move the ball. But trying to bring in such strategies is a good thing; they should just play normally.
“When we scored the late goal, they came out. Maybe they over-respected us, thinking if they came out, we were going to score a lot of goals.”
The Super Eagles are set to face Libya again in a reverse fixture on Tuesday, October 15, at the Martyrs of Benina Stadium.
