Nigeria were awarded three goals and three points, and Libya was fined $50,000 as the Confederation of African Football finally announced its verdict on the botched 2025 Africa Cup of Nations Group D qualifying fixture scheduled for October 15 in Benina, Libya, on Saturday.
The verdict followed an intense and seemingly thorough investigation of the matter by the body’s disciplinary committee following a complaint by the Nigeria Football Federation after the Super Eagles were subjected to a 20-hour nightmarish experience in the North African country between Sunday, October 13 and Monday, October 14.
The Libyan authorities had diverted their flight to Labraq Airport, which is about 300 km from the match venue, just when they were about to land at the designated airport in Benghazi. The Nigerian contingent was locked in at Labraq Airport for 18 hours without food and water, and the toilets were completely messed up by the Libyans in anticipation of their arrival.
Drained physically, psychologically, mentally, and emotionally, the Super Eagles, who were apparently were not in the right shape to play the match, returned to the country later on Monday.
The Libyan Football Federation tried to put up a spurious defence that was eventually rightly found untenable by the Disciplinary Committee.
In its ruling on Saturday, which was signed by the chairman, Ousmane Kane, the committee found the Libyan Football Federation guilty of breaching Article 31 of the Africa Cup of Nations Regulations as well as Articles 82 and 151 of the CAF Disciplinary Code.
Also, the match No. 87 Libya vs. Nigeria of the CAF Africa Cup of Nations Qualifiers 2025 scheduled to be played on October 15 in Benghazi was declared lost by forfeit by Libya (by a score of 3-0).
The Libya Football Federation was also ordered to pay a fine of USD 50,000 within 60 days of notification of the decision.
The verdict leaves Nigeria on the brink of qualification for the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations finals in Morocco, with two matches to spare. The Super Eagles now have 10 points from four matches, four points adrift of second-placed Benin Republic, while Rwanda have five points. Libya remains rock bottom with one point and out of contention for the group’s two tickets to the finals.
Victory or draw against the Cheetahs of Benin Republic in Abidjan on Thursday, November 14 (a matchday 5 encounter) will land the Super Eagles a ticket to the finals in Morocco.
Expectedly, the Libyan Football Federation considers as unfair the decision, which it has appealed, engaging the services of a Tunisian lawyer, Ali Abbas, to defend its position in the case, according to Libyan outlet alwasat.ly.
(Punch)
