CHAN 2018: Nigeria edges past Libya
Nigeria edged Libya 1-0 in the 2018 African Nations
Championship (Chan) Group C match at the Stade Ibn Batouta in
Tangier, Morocco, on Friday.
The victory takes the Super Eagles to the top of the group
standings, while the Mediterranean Knights slip down to second
spot.
The Super Eagles threatened first just three minutes into the
game when a long throw into Libya’s box found Stephen Eze,
who flicked it, but Anthony Okpotu failed to get a touch to tap it
in.
Osas Okoro then played a dangerous curling cross into the Libya
box in the 21st minute and Masaud Sand made a crucial
clearance as Nigeria continued to press the Mediterranean
Knights.
Libya were awarded a free-kick in a promising area on the half-
hour mark and Mohamed Aleyat stepped up, and forced Nigeria
goalkeeper Ikechukwu Ezenwa into a comfortable save.
Nigeria were finding it difficult to penetrate the Libya defence
which was marshalled by Ahmed El Trbi, who put his body on
the line in the 40th minute – blocking Stephen Eze’s thunderous
long-range shot.
The score was 0-0 at half time following a tightly contested first
half with both teams looking very organised at the back.
Nigeria did most of the attacking in the early stages of the
second half and they nearly broke the deadlock in the 55th
minute when Emeka Ogbugh forced Libya keeper Muhammad
Nashnoush into a good save with a header after some good
work by Sunday Faleye.
Faleye, who was looking lively for the Super Eagles, cut inside
from the left hand side and he unleashed a long-range effort
which missed the target without troubling Nashnoush in the
Libya goal in the 77th minute.
However, Faleye did break the deadlock two minutes later when
he fired home Emeka Atuloma’s corner-kick to make it 1-0 to
Nigeria with the Libya defence caught ball watching in their own
box.
The momentum was with the Super Eagles in the closing stages
of the game, but they could not double their lead and, ultimately,
Nigeria emerged 1-0 winners over Libya.
