‘It’s A Huge Relief’ – Eguavoen Reacts To Nigeria’s Hard-Fought AFCON Qualifier Victory Against Libya

Interim Super Eagles coach, Austine Eguavoen, has expressed relief following Nigeria’s narrow 1-0 victory over Libya in a 2025 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) qualifier.

Naija News reports that the hard-fought match, held in Uyo, Akwa Ibom State, saw Nigeria finally break through with a decisive goal in the 86th minute, thanks to Dele Bashiru.

Reflecting on the win, Eguavoen praised the team for securing the vital three points.

“It’s a huge, huge relief for me and the boys. Three points were important to get. We got it. I expected us to score more goals but for some reason, we didn’t find the back of the net early enough because of the tactics the Libyans deployed.

“But overall, we’re very happy. Three points are very important. We still maintain the first position in the log,” Eguavoen stated.

Eguavoen noted a mix of emotions during the game, admitting, “I was feeling bad, but again, I was also happy that the boys were on top of the game, especially the second half and towards the last 20 minutes of the game.

“They kept pushing, possessing the ball very well, but mindful of the rear as well because the Libyans had a clear strategy for the way they wanted to play – to try to get the ball and then go forward as quickly as possible. Both emotions were high. When the go came, it was a huge, huge relief.”

The coach acknowledged Libya’s defensive approach, saying, “I thought we could have scored more, but the tactics are already deployed. I don’t want to see what park the bus like many coaches say but they defended in numbers in front of their goal.”

Nigeria now leads with seven points from three matches in the 2025 AFCON qualifiers. The team will head to Libya for the return leg on Tuesday, where a win would secure their place in the continental tournament.