Libya squeaks by Ethiopia
Libya defeated Ethiopia 2-1 in a friendly match played on Wednesday in the city of Zawra near Tripoli, as the Mediterranean Knights get on with their preparation for the 2013 Africa Cup of Nations qualifier against Algeria.
A half-hour mark penalty transformed by Rabie Al-Lafi put the hosts in the lead despite an intense domination of the visitors, who were able to pull level moments after the break.
Striker Mohamed Al-Ghanoudi shot the Libyans in the lead once more on 72 minutes, sealing a final 2-1 victory after both sides couldn’t alter the score line by the final whistle.
A dozen officials from the Libyan sports ministry, including the minister, attended the meeting, underscoring how scrupulous authorities are monitoring the team’s groundwork for the final qualifying round of the 2013 Afcon.
Libya coach Abdelhafid Arbiche told reporters after the game that he was far from being satisfied with how his men played and that much work needed to be done.
The team’s top player Ahmed Saad Osman said he was confident they would be able to withstand Algeria and hopefully qualify for next year’s showpiece.
“We will be very combative against Algeria, that’s for sure, we can all feel it, like during the recent qualifiers of the FIFA 2014 World Cup. We hope to overcome the Algerian hurdle and book a place for South Africa 2013,” Osman said.
The Libya-Algeria clash will hold in Casablanca, Morocco on September 9. Libya will play two more friendlies against Sudan.
