AFCON 2025 Qualifier: Libya Makes Early Plans for Crucial Match Against Rwanda

AFCON 2025 Qualifier: Libya Makes Early Plans for Crucial Match Against Rwanda

  • Libya are coming off the back of a heavy sanction imposed by CAF after the Super Eagles' airport saga
  • The Mediterranean Knights will face Rwanda in Kigali in match day five of the AFCON 2025 qualifiers
  • Libyan staff and players will travel early ahead of the crucial match at the Amahoro Stadium, Kigali

The Libyan national team are not leaving anything to chance ahead of their 2025 Africa Cup of Nations qualifiers match day five encounter against Rwanda.

Libya were hit with heavy sanctions by the Confederation of African Football (CAF) after the Super Eagles of Nigeria were held hostage at Al Abraq International Airport.

Nasser Al-Hadhiri, Libya players, Martyrs of February Stadium, Benghazi, Benina, Libya.
Libyan players during their training for the botched AFCON 2025 qualifiers match against Nigeria. Photo by Libyan FF.
Source: Twitter

CAF awarded Nigeria three points and three goals after Libya were found guilty of breaching rules, and the football federation was also fined USD 50,000.

The team are bottom of Group D with one point from four games and have a slim chance of qualifying for the tournament in Morocco next year. Their fate could be decided soon.

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Sunday Oliseh sets a new target for Eguavoen after AFCON qualifiers.

Libya to fly to Rwanda today

According to Libya Al Ahrar TV, the 25-man squad led by head coach Nasser Al-Hadhiri will fly to Kigali today, three days before the match at the Amahoro Stadium in Kigali.

Al-Hadhiri also made changes to the initial squad, which was announced two weeks ago, adding Al Olympi defender Moatasem Sabou and Al-Tahadi striker Farhad Al-Masmari for depth.

The team were initially scheduled to begin training in Benghazi two weeks before the match. The camp was postponed because of the Omar Al-Mukhtar Friendly Championship, which was won by Al Hilal, as noted by Al-Awwan.

The Mediterranean Knights have had days of training in Benghazi. They will have two days of training in Kigali before the must-win match if they want to keep their qualification hopes alive.

All their efforts could be undone in the Benin Republic vs Nigeria match if the Gernot Rohr-led side pick up at least a point.

Read also

Libyan FF begin internal restructuring after CAF’s verdict on airport hostage saga

How Libya could qualify for AFCON 2025

Legit.ng analysed how Libya could qualify for AFCON 2025 despite CAF's verdict favouring the Super Eagles and leaving the North Africans on the brink of missing out.

Their path to the tournament in Morocco is not in their hands as they will need help from Nigeria, which they mistreated, making it nearly impossible to happen.

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Source: Legit.ng

Authors:
Elijah Odetokun avatar

Elijah Odetokun (Sports Editor) Elijah Odetokun is a Nigerian sports editor at Legit.ng. He has four years of working experience and holds a Bachelor of Agriculture from the Federal University of Agriculture, Abeokuta, and a Diploma in Freelance and Sports Writing from the London School of Journalism. Email: elijah.odetokun@sportsbrief.com

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