By Harry Awurumibe Editor, ABUJA BUREAU
Jude Odion Ighalo scored his first hattrick in the national colours as Nigeria walloped hapless Libya 4-0 in the Match Day 3 of the on- going AFCON qualifier game played today Akwa Ibom International Stadium in Uyo.
New boy on the block, Samuel Kalu put the icing on the cake by scoring an exquisite goal number four for Nigeria towards the last minutes of the match.
The Super Eagles of Nigeria needed to beat their opponents today to close the points deficit following the loss to South Africa in the first match of the series.
An early minute foul on Ighalo in the penalty box by the Libyan goalkeeper gifted Nigeria the first goal as Ighalo scored from the spot. But the Libyans fought hard to avoid another goal until the end of the first half.
However, Nigeria came back strongly on resumption to score three more goals with Ighalo rounding up the Libyan goalkeeper on two occasions to score two more goals before he was substituted by Coach Gernort Rohr with Isaac Success. Kalu made it four goals in the dead of the time.
Rohr also introduced defender Olaoluwa Aina early in the first half after Abdulahi Shehu was injured while Henry Onyeka Onyekuru replaced Captain Ahmed Musa in the match.
Nigeria will travel to Tunisia on Monday ahead of the return match against Libya on Wednesday next week.
