In their final TotalEnergies Africa Cup of Nations qualifier for Cote d’Ivoire 2023, Libya staged a comeback to secure a 1-1 draw against Equatorial Guinea.
The Mediterranean Knights found themselves trailing after Jose Elo’s 62nd-minute goal at the Martyrs of February Stadium in Benghazi marked the start of the final round of qualifiers.
However, Libya managed to equalize, with Husain Taqtq netting a crucial goal just 10 minutes before the final whistle, allowing them to share the points with their opponents.
This outcome leaves already-qualified Equatorial Guinea with a total of 13 points from their six matches. Nevertheless, they face the possibility of being overtaken by Tunisia, who are set to play Botswana on Thursday and need a four-goal victory to secure the top spot in Group J.
As for Libya, they currently occupy the bottom position in the group standings, tied on points but lagging behind on goal difference. However, they can avoid remaining in that position if Tunisia secures a victory against Botswana with a margin of four goals or more.
The qualifying action continues on Thursday, with Ghana, Angola, Central African Republic, and Madagascar all vying for qualification in Group E.
Cote d’Ivoire is set to host the Nations Cup finals early next year, while Libya’s hopes of qualification were dashed following an eventful campaign.