Former Kwara United coach Samson Unuanel has urged the Super Eagles not to be distracted by Libya coach Nasser Al-Hadiri’s claim that his team are not well prepared for this week’s 2025 Africa Cup of Nations qualifiers.
Softfootball has reported that Ghana are also set for the 2027 Africa Cup of Nations qualifiers after the draw date was confirmed. The development shows that African football is already looking ahead to another major qualification campaign, even as Nigeria remain focused on their immediate double-header against Libya.
Al-Hadiri had earlier admitted that the absence of some of his key players has made it difficult for him to prepare a complete tactical plan for the matches against Nigeria.
However, speaking with Softfootball, Unuanel said the Libya coach may only be playing mind games in an attempt to make the Super Eagles lose focus.
I want to believe the Libya coach knows what he’s doing by saying such statement. He wants to play mind games with the Super Eagles and I know it won’t work,
Unuanel said.
The former Kwara United coach added that Libya should not be underrated simply because some of their top players are unavailable. According to him, the coach still has other players he can depend on for the encounter.
The fact that he does not have his best players doesn’t mean that he can’t play with the players at his disposal. This is just a way of diverting attention away from his team and I am sure Austine Eguavoen understands this method,
he added.
Unuanel expressed confidence that Nigeria have enough quality to overcome Libya across the two fixtures.
Whether they like it or not, the Super Eagles will come out victorious against Libya in the double-header encounter,
he said.
For the Super Eagles, the message is clear: remain focused, avoid distractions, and approach the Libya games with full seriousness.
