Tag: Morocco 2025

Bottom team Libya has opted to host Group D leaders Nigeria at the Martyrs of Benina Stadium, in their 2025 Africa Cup of Nations qualifying Matchday 4 encounter. The facility is located in the city of Benina, some 19 kilometres outside the country’s second city, Benghazi.

Known previously as Hugo Chávez Stadium, the stadium is a 10,000-capacity facility with an artificial turf.

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Both countries will do a Matchday 3 battle at the Godswill Akpabio Stadium, Uyo on Friday, 11^th  October, before the clash in the city at the edge of the Mediterranean Sea on Tuesday, 15th October.

While the match in Uyo will kick off at 5pm, the battle in Benina will commence at 8pm Nigeria time.

Libya remain bottom of Group D after two rounds of matches, following a 1-1 at home to Rwanda (a game that was played at the Tripoli International Stadium) and a 1-2 loss to the Cheetahs of Benin Republic in Abidjan.

Nigeria top the pool with four points, after a 3-0 spanking of Benin Republic in Uyo on Matchday 1 and a scoreless draw with Rwanda’s Amavubi in Kigali on Matchday 2.

Nigeria and Rwanda stifled themselves to a scoreless draw at a refurbished Amahoro Stadium in Kigali  yesterday, but the Super Eagles retain leadership of their qualifying group courtesy of the 3-0 whiplash of Benin Republic in Uyo on Saturday. Libya’s Mediterranean Knights, playing the Cheetahs in Abidjan some hours later, would only be able to dislodge the Eagles if they won by three goals.

The draw was typical of two earlier encounters between both teams in Kigali, as Nigeria forced a 1-1 draw in a 2006 FIFA World Cup qualifying match also at the Amahoro, and both teams drew 0-0 in a 2013 AFCON qualifier at the Stade Regional de Nyamirambo.

Coach Augustine Eguavoen made only one change from the squad that started against the Cheetahs, with Fisayo Dele-Bashiru taking the place of Alex Iwobi.

Defender Bruno Onyemaechi should have put Nigeria ahead after only three minutes, but he miscued his shot after a great pass by Ademola Lookman. Two minutes later, midfielder Wilfred Ndidi’s shot went straight to goalkeeper Fiacre Ntwari.

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Bonheur Mugisha and Kevin Muhire took turns harassing the Super Eagles’ defence as the game wore on, but Nigeria could have been up by a goal after 22 minutes as Lookman headed into the net. But Moroccan referee Karim Sabry ruled that a Nigerian player had pushed a defender in the build-up. Victor Boniface wasted a glorious opportunity in the 25th  minute, and in the 37th  minute, Onyemaechi failed to capitalize as Boniface’s shot rocked the upright and bounced back into play.

Four minutes to half time, Onyemaechi, getting into scoring positions easily, headed wide when he received a cross from the right by Olaoluwa Aina.

Eight minutes into the second half, substitute Moses Simon’s shot from William Ekong’s floater was blocked by an imperious Ntwari. Jojea Kwizera could have put the Wasps in front on 68th  minutes as the home boys broke forward, but his shot flew away from goal. With 19 minutes left, Lookman was almost celebrating a goal, only to see his volley from Aina’s cross punched out by Ntwari.

Mugisha, undaunted, unleashed a rocket from 22 yards with two minutes, but goalkeeper Stanley Nwabali punched into safety.

Substitute Raphael Onyedika could have struck in the 89th  minute, but again, Ntwari was on hand to block his shot, just as he held firmly to the ball from substitute Victor Osimhen’s header in added time.

The Eagles will next confront the Mediterranean Knights of Libya at the Godswill Akpabio Stadium in Uyo, mid-October.

Captain William Ekong, wing-back Olaoluwa Aina and forwards Victor Osimhen and Taiwo Awoniyi are back in the Super Eagles’ nest, for next month’s 2025 Africa Cup of Nations qualifying matches against Benin Republic and Rwanda.

This year’s AFCON’s Man-of-the-Competition, Ekong, was discountenanced for the Matchdays 3 and 4 of the 2026 FIFA World Cup qualifying race in June as he was recovering from injury, while Aina, Awoniyi and reigning Africa Player of the Year Victor Osimhen were out injured altogether.

There are three goalkeepers, including AFCON 2023 star, Stanley Nwabali, seven defenders, six midfielders and seven forwards.

Bendel Insurance safe hands Amas Obasogie also returns, just as South Africa-based defender Olisa Ndah, and Taiwo Awoniyi, who has not been called since the 1-1 draw with Lesotho in Uyo on Matchday 1 of the 2026 FIFA World Cup qualifying campaign in November last year.

The Super Eagles go up against the Cheetahs of Benin Republic at the Godswill Akpabio Stadium in Uyo on Saturday, 7th  September, before flying to Kigali to take on the Amavubi at the Amahoro Stadium on Tuesday, 10th  September.

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All the players are expected to report in Uyo on Monday, 2nd  September.

Goalkeepers: Stanley Nwabali (Chippa United, South Africa); Maduka Okoye (Udinese FC, Italy); Amas Obasogie (Bendel Insurance FC)

Defenders: William Ekong (Al-Kholood FC, Saudi Arabia); Bright Osayi-Samuel (Fenerbahce SK, Turkey); Olisa Ndah (Orlando Pirates, South Africa); Bruno Onyemaechi (Boavista FC, Portugal); Oluwasemilogo Ajayi (West Bromwich Albion, England); Calvin Bassey (Fulham FC, England); Olaoluwa Aina (Nottingham Forest, England)

Midfielders: Wilfred Ndidi (Leicester City, England); Raphael Onyedika (Club Brugge, Belgium); Alhassan Yusuf Abdullahi (New England Revolution, USA); Fisayo Dele-Bashiru (Lazio FC. Italy); Frank Onyeka (Brentford FC, England); Alex Iwobi (Fulham FC, England)

Forwards: Samuel Chukwueze (AC Milan, Italy); Victor Osimhen (SSC Napoli, Italy); Kelechi Iheanacho (Sevilla FC, Spain); Victor Boniface (Bayer Leverkusen, Germany); Moses Simon (FC Nantes, France); Ademola Lookman (Atalanta FC, Italy); Taiwo Awoniyi (Nottingham Forest, England)

The Super Eagles have been presented with an earlier opportunity to avenge their 2026 FIFA World Cup qualifying defeat to the Cheetahs of Benin Republic in Abidjan last month, with both teams again paired in the same group in the race for the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations that begins in two months’ time.

Their FIFA World Cup qualifying reverse fixture is not until the final day of the qualification series (6th  – 14th October 2025), but both teams have much earlier battles to fight later this year as they aim to be among the 24 countries that will participate in the 35th  Africa Cup of Nations scheduled for Morocco between 21st  December 2025 and 18th  January 2026.

At the draw ceremony conducted inside the SuperSport studio in Johannesburg, South Africa, the Super Eagles also drew the Amavubi of Rwanda – another team in their 2026 FIFA World Cup qualifying group, and which they next play in the series in March 2025 – as well as the Mediterranean Knights of Libya. All four teams are in Group D.

Meanwhile, Egypt, the most successful Nation in the history of the Africa Cup of Nations, has been drawn in what many believe is the most difficult  group.

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The Pharaohs, who have won the AFCON seven times, will play two on-form teams, Cape Verde and Mauritania – both Nations had an amazing outing in the previous Africa Cup of Nations in Cote d’Ivoire. Botswana make the fourth team in Group C.

Cote d’Ivoire have been drawn in Group G alongside former champions Zambia, Sierra Leone, and Chad.

The Elephants are eager to defend their title after their thrilling 2-1 victory over Nigeria in the previous final held in Abidjan earlier this year.

Host nation Morocco, placed in Group B, will face Gabon, Central African Republic, and Lesotho. The Atlas Lions, assured of participation as hosts, will approach the qualifiers with the advantage of home ground support, looking to showcase their strength ahead of the main tournament.

The qualifiers will commence in September 2024 and conclude in November 2024.

The first and second-placed teams from each of the eleven groups, excluding Group B where Morocco competes, will earn their spots in the tournament.

The six-match qualifying series have been spread over the FIFA windows in September, October and November, with two matches in each seven-day window.

THE FULL DRAW

GROUP A: Tunisia, Madagascar, Comoros, The Gambia

GROUP B: Morocco, Gabon, Central African Republic, Lesotho

GROUP C: Egypt, Cape Verde, Mauritania, Botswana

GROUP D: Nigeria, Benin Republic, Libya, Rwanda

GROUP E: Algeria, Equatorial Guinea, Togo, Liberia

GROUP F: Ghana, Angola, Sudan, Niger Republic

GROUP G: Cote d’Ivoire, Zambia, Sierra Leone, Chad

GROUP H: DR Congo, Guinea, Tanzania, Ethiopia

GROUP I: Mali, Mozambique, Guinea Bissau, Eswatini

GROUP J: Cameroon, Namibia, Kenya, Zimbabwe

GROUP K: South Africa, Uganda, Congo, South Sudan

GROUP L: Senegal, Burkina Faso, Malawi, Burundi