Ex-Man City & England U17 Sensation In Line To Face Eagles; Libya Open Camp Next Week

The Libyan National Team will begin training next week ahead of their crucial Africa Cup of Nations qualifiers with the Super Eagles.

Libyan newspaper, Al Wasat earlier reported that Adel Amrouche is not in a hurry to announce the provisional roster, from which the final list will be selected, for the games against Nigeria, but he has noted that four or five new players will be called up.

New York City winger Ismael Tajouri-Shradi, Desportivo Aves's Hamdou Elhouni, Guimarães' Ali Al Musrat, Crotone's Ahmad Benali, Raja Casablanca defender Sanad Al Warfali, Orlando City SC's Mohamed El-Munir and Muaid Ellafi (Shabab) were among the foreign based professionals called up for the match day two fixture against South Africa.

The talented Ahmad Benali captained Manchester City youth team in the past and had played for England U17 national team before switching his allegiance to the North African country.

If the Super Eagles 1-0 win over Libya in the 2018 African Nations Championship is not included, Nigeria and Libya have never met in a competitive game but have played two friendlies.

At the 2004 LG friendly international tournament held in Tripoli, the Libyans defeated Nigeria 2-1 with Nader Kara scoring the goals and a year later the Super Eagles beat the Mediterranean Knights 1-0 in a friendly in which John Obi Mikel made his international debut.

Nigeria manager Gernot Rohr is expected to call up several foreign-based professionals for the AFCON qualifier against Libya, meaning the earliest date they can resume training is October 8.

Ifeanyi Emmanuel

Photo Credit : twitter.com/AhmadBenali