With just two weeks left before Libya faces Nigeria in a key AFCON 2025 qualifier, the Libyan Football Federation (LFF) has appointed Nasser Al-Hadhiri as the new head coach of the Mediterranean Knights. This follows the dismissal of Serbian coach Milutin Sredojević, commonly known as Micho, after Libya's disappointing 2-1 loss to Benin in their second-round qualifier, as reported by the Libya Observer.
Al-Hadhiri, who was an assistant coach during Spaniard Javier Clemente's tenure with the Libyan national team in 2014, steps into the role at a critical time. He will be supported by Abu Bakr Al-Harak as his assistant, with Misbah Shangab taking charge as the goalkeeper coach.
The new coaching team faces a tough road ahead. Libya currently sits at the bottom of Group D, with just one point from their matches so far, making their qualification journey for AFCON 2025 an uphill battle.
Libya’s first encounter with the Super Eagles is scheduled for October 7 at Nigeria's Godswill Akpabio Stadium in Uyo, with the second leg to be played on October 15 at the Martyrs of Benina Stadium in Benghazi. The latter venue has a seating capacity of 10,000 and features an artificial turf, which could prove tricky for the Nigerian side, who are used to playing on natural grass.
Ranked 121st in the world and 34th in Africa by FIFA, Libya will need to stage an extraordinary comeback to keep their AFCON dreams alive. In stark contrast, Nigeria is ranked 39th globally and 6th in Africa, sitting comfortably at the top of Group D with four points from two matches.
Al-Hadhiri’s appointment marks a fresh chapter for the Mediterranean Knights, but with the mighty Super Eagles looming, his team will need a swift and dramatic improvement to stay in contention for AFCON 2025.
