By Amaechi Agbo

Abuja – The Disciplinary Board of Confederation of African Football (CAF) has awarded Nigeria, three points and three goals from the botched Matchday 4 encounter of the 2025 AFCON qualification series scheduled to be played by Libya and Nigeria in Benina on 15th October.

In its ruling on Saturday, signed by the chairman, Ousmane Kane, the Disciplinary Board ruled:

• The Libya Football Federation is found to have breached Article 31 of the Africa Cup of Nations Regulations as well as Articles 82 and 151 of the CAF Disciplinary Code.
• The match No. 87 Libya v. Nigeria of the CAF Africa Cup of Nations Qualifiers 2025 (scheduled to be played on 15 October in Benghazi) declared lost by forfeit by Libya (by a score of 3-0).

• The Libya Football Federation is ordered to pay a fine of USD 50,000.
• The fine is to be paid within 60 days of notification of the present decision.
• All other and further motions or prayers for relief are dismissed.

The implication is that Nigeria is now poised to qualify for the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations, with two matches to spare. With the decision, the Eagles are now on 10 points from four matches, four points better than second-placed Benin Republic, while Rwanda have five points. Bottom-placed Libya have only one point and are out of the running for qualification.

Victory or draw against the Cheetahs of Benin Republic in Abidjan on Thursday, 14th November (a Matchday 5 encounter) will land the Super Eagles a ticket to the finals in Morocco, December2025/January 2026.

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Fisayo Dele-Bashiru’s 86th minute strike off a cross from Moses Simon gave Coach Augustine Eguavoen his 15th victory in charge of Nigeria (over 25 matches) and handed the Super Eagles all the three points against Libya in a 2025 Africa Cup of Nations qualifying match in Uyo on Friday.

Simon had been a threat all game, frisking the pockets of the Mediterranean Knights who defended strongly in numbers and came close to earning a point at the Godswill Akpabio Stadium.

In the absence of Victor Osimhen, his namesake Boniface started in front, but the Germany-based striker failed to find his first goal in competitive match for Nigeria, as the impressive goalkeeper Murad Abu Bakr Alwuheeshi excelled as much in blocking balls with all parts of his body as with running down the clock.

Alex Iwobi could have put Nigeria ahead after 11minutes but his shot from the edge of the box after a raid by Ademola Lookman was charged down by Suhib Shafshuf. Boniface was thwarted in the 16th minute after being guilty of too many touches, and captain William Ekong heaved over the sticks from four yards in the 28th minute as the visitors continued to live dangerously.

The Super Eagles kept their feet on the pedal and Simon darted past three defenders in the 37th minute only to see his shot blocked, as Iwobi’s effort was cleverly foiled two minutes later.

In the second half, Iwobi missed with a header from another Simon cross in the 56th minute, and put too much purchase on his volley three minutes later.

In the 71st minute, substitute Samuel Chukwueze was foiled by the brilliant Abu Bakr Alwuheeshi, but the goalkeeper had no answer when Italy-based Dele-Bashiru lashed to his blind side from a good cross by Simon.

The Eagles stay top of the pool, one point ahead of Benin Republic’s Cheetahs who routed Rwanda’s Amavubi 3-0 in another Matchday 3 encounter.

Victory for the Eagles in Benin on Tuesday night will virtually seal a ticket to the 35th Africa Cup of Nations finals in Morocco, with the Cheetahs also to join if they overcome the Amavubi in their own return in Kigali.

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The Nigeria Football Federation has announced that it has reached an agreement with German tactician, Bruno Labbadia, to become the Head Coach of Nigeria’s Senior Men National Team, Super Eagles.

NFF General Secretary, Dr. Mohammed Sanusi, said in the early hours of Tuesday: “The NFF Executive Committee has approved the recommendation of its Technical and Development Sub-Committee to appoint Mr. Bruno Labbadia as the Head Coach of the Super Eagles. The appointment is with immediate effect.”

Born in Darmstadt, Germany on 8th February 1966, Labbadia, who won two caps for Die Mannschaft in his playing career that took him through clubs such as home-town team Darmstadt 98, Hamburger SV, FC Kaiserslautern, Bayern Munich, FC Cologne, Werder Bremen, Armenia Bielefeld and Karlsruher SC, triumphed in the German Bundesliga with Bayern Munich as a player in 1994. He coached famous names Hertha Berlin and VfB Stuttgart this decade, and previously, VfL Wolfsburg, Hamburger SV, Bayer Leverkusen, among others, and holds a UEFA Pro License.

He is only the sixth German, after Karl-Heinz Marotzke (who had two stints between 1970 and 1974), Gottlieb Göller (1981), Manfred Höner (1988-1989), Berti Vogts (2007-2008) and Gernot Rohr (2016-2021) to lead the Super Eagles. Höner led the Eagles to runner-up position at the 1988 Africa Cup of Nations, while Rohr qualified and led Nigeria to the 2018 FIFA World Cup finals in Russia.

Labbadi’s immediate challenge is to take charge of the three-time African champions for two 2025 Africa Cup of Nations qualifying matches against Benin Republic (Saturday 7th September in Uyo) and Rwanda (Tuesday, 10th September in Kigali), with four other matches to conclude the qualifying race following in the months of October and November.

WHAT IS YOUR TAKE ON THIS APPOINTMENT?

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