They had one of their most successful periods in the 1980s, when such players as Salim Abu Jarrad, Fawzi Al-Issawi and Ali Al-Beshari almost led the side to silverware. In 1982, Libya hosted the 1982 African Cup of Nations, a competition in which they came second, losing 7-6 to Ghana on penalty kicks. The team was also very close to qualifying for the 1986 FIFA World Cup, where they lost 3-1 to Morocco over two legs.