The Super Eagles of Nigeria were clinical as they put 4 goals pass Libya and Odion Ighalo bags his first hat-hatrick on Green-white-Green jersey.
There was anticlimax build up to the match as erstwhile Libya coach Adel Amrouche quit his job over non payment and non challant attitude by the LFF about towards his assistant which was detailed in this post https://www.blogger.com/blogger.g?blogID=3877602094780288620#allposts/src=sidebarOn the other hand there was minor worry for Super Eagles coach as injury scare to Odenyi Onazi and Sheu Abdullai forced Gernot Rohr to selection and tactical changes before and during the match
The match started on a flying note for the Super Eagles. As early as 3mins Nigeria was awarded a penalty. The Libya goalkeeper failed to clear a back pass from his defender, Ighalo justled and won the ball from him but he was impeded by the goalie and the ref blew a spot kick. Ighalo step forward to convert the penalty, his 2nd goal in successive matches.
There was another penalty appeal turned down by the ref 10mins into the game after Ighalo felt he was foul by the goalkeeper but the ref waved play-on and the Nigerian striker was cautioned.
The Libyans were not without their own threat though as Uzorho was forced to a superb reflexives save after a brilliant header by Libya striker. The Mediterranean Knights became more organized and had a fair exchange of possession as the game wore on but the pairing duo of Tross Ekongs of Udinese and Leo Balogun, Brighton in England instilled discipline and resilience to cut out Libya incursions.
Jamilu Colins makes his debut in the match by replacing injured Sheu Abdulahi before the 1st quater of the match made a dashing run from the left flank in the 43mins. He beats couple of Libyan's defenders on the run and saw his effort hit the cross bar as the 1st half ended 1-0.
The 2nd half began on a slow pace as Super Eagles continue to search for the important second goal and struggling to impose their style and dominance on Libya but the patience would soon paid off as fortune began to smile on Odion Ighalo whom many still holds grudges against over his below performance at the last world cup. But the ex-Udinese and Watford hitman continue to rapay the German tactician faith in him by adding two more goals in as many minutes in the 2nd half. The Changchun Yatai fc all-time goalscorer, Ighalo, scored the 2nd goal of the match in 57mins by maitaining his composure and rounding off the goalkeeper and cooly slotted home the ball, and completed his first hat-trick for the Super Eagles in the 68mins connecting to a brilliant low cross from Musa with a scrappy tap-in.
The Super Eagles put the margin beyond doubt in the 89mins of the match. The move was started by Onyekuru who had dribble passed the Libyan keeper but found himself in an acute angle, he released the ball to Samuel Kalu who was at the outside of the box and the Bordeaux striker strikes a blistering curling shot pass the Libya goalkeeper and into the net. His 1st goal for the Super Eagles after 3 matches, the Bordeaux striker is becoming a perfect replacement for Victor Moses who announced his retirement shortly after World cup. Alex Iwobi also proved a menace and too-difficult to handle for the Libya as he produced a yeoman performance, marshalling the midfield in the absence of the captain, John Obi Mikel.
It was more like a perfect response to the result of the earlier concluded match in the group as South Africa pummeled the otherwise weeping boys of the Group, Seychelles 6-0.
The result moved the Super Eagles to 2nd position on the table with 6 points while South Africa moved to 1st with 7 points, Libya who were topping the group albeit superior goal difference before Day 3 round of matches was demoted to 3rd on the table.
Eagles will face Libya on Tuesday in their adopted home Tunisia due to sanctions on Libya playing on home turf for political reasons. South Africa with travel to Seychelles who are without a point and deficit of massive goal difference.
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