AFCON qualifiers: Nigeria pull out of match against Libya over plane diversion

Nigeria's Super Eagles have announced that they would no longer play their AFCON qualifying match against Libya after their plane was ''strangely'' diverted within Libya and the players left stranded.

''The delegation of Nigeria to Tuesday’s 2025 AFCON qualifier against Libya still remained at the Al Abraq Airport 12 hours after landing in Libya,'' the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) said in statement on Monday morning.

The Nigerian team arrived in Libya on Sunday ahead of the match, but complained that they were left stranded even after their plane was diverted from Benghazi airport to Al Abraq airport.

''The chartered ValueJet aircraft was, strangely and in a dangerous manner, diverted to the small airport away from Benghazi just as the pilot was completing his approach to the Benghazi Airport,'' the NFF said.

Flying back home

''Fatigued players and officials have remained nonplussed as the host Libyan Football Federation failed to send any reception team or even vehicles to take the delegation members from the airport to their hotel, said to be 3 hours away in Benghazi,'' it added.

''The NFF made arrangements for separate vehicles for the team, but the plan was unhinged by the diversion of the aircraft,'' the Nigerian football authorities said.

''Players have resolved not to play the match any longer as NFF officials are making plans to fly the team back home,'' the statement added.

There have been no official comments from the Libyan football authorities on the claims by Nigeria.

Match in limbo

Tuesday's game was supposed to be a return leg in Benghazi. On Friday, Nigeria won against Libya 1-0 at home during their first leg in Uyo.

Under caretaker coach Augustin Eguavoen, three-time AFCON champions Nigeria have collected seven points in Group D. Benin have six, Rwanda two and Libya one.

The difficulty the Super Eagles experienced in breaking down the Mediterranean Knights defence could partly be explained by the absence through injury of star forward Victor Osimhen.

It's unclear what will happen next after Nigeria cancelled their Tuesday's game in Libya.

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