Libya Accuses Super Eagles of Sabotaging AFCON Qualification Efforts

• The Libyan national team failed to secure qualification for the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations tournament in Morocco
• Despite their impressive final round of fixtures, the Mediterranean Knights will finish at the bottom of the Group D standings
• The Libyan media have blamed the Super Eagles for their failure to qualify for the showpiece in Morocco

The Libyan national team has singled out the Nigerian team for blame following their failure to qualify for the Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) tournament in Morocco.

The Mediterranean Knights, who required a victory in their final AFCON qualification fixture, were held to a draw by the Republic of Benin on their home turf.

The 1982 AFCON champions had kicked off their qualification campaign on a positive note with a draw against Rwanda, but things took a dramatic turn when they became embroiled in what many have described as a "hostage saga" involving the Nigerian team.

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Media outlet, Libya Akhbar, has now pointed accusing fingers at the Nigerian team, detailing that aside from their failure to defeat Benin, the Super Eagles intentionally lost to Rwanda to ensure Libya did not qualify for the AFCON.

Libyan media blames Super Eagles

The outlet described the match between Nigeria and Rwanda as a shock to Libyan fans.

In its report, it highlighted that the fans had expected a comfortable victory for Nigeria, which would have kept Libya’s hopes alive, provided they defeated Benin.

However, the outcome was far from what was anticipated. Nigeria’s one-goal lead quickly turned into a two-goal loss, as if the Super Eagles had abandoned their competitive drive.

The outlet strengthened its claims, suggesting that the Super Eagles may have been seeking subtle revenge for the airport incident in Al Abraq.

It’s important to recall that members of the Nigerian contingent were stranded at an unused airport for 20 hours, a situation that ultimately led to a hefty sanction for the Libyan team.

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The event, which still lingers in the minds of the Nigerian players, is believed to have influenced their performance that night.

Whether the Super Eagles intentionally succumbed to defeat or not remains a subject of debate, one that may never be fully answered.

Nevertheless, both Nigeria and the Republic of Benin successfully secured qualification for the AFCON tournament in Morocco.

Benin Players Held at Stadium After AFCON 2025Q Draw

Briefly News reported that The Cheetahs of Benin Republic have qualified for the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations after a 0-0 draw against the Mediterranean Knights of Libya at Tripoli International Stadium.

The Libyan Football Federation allowed free entry for the fans into the 45,000-capacity stadium to provide support for their players and an intimidating atmosphere for the opponents. Mistreatment of visiting teams is an act which has now been portrayed by the Libyans twice, having held the Super Eagles hostage at Al Abraq International Airport last month.

Source: Legit.ng