*Captain Troost-Ekong Hails Verdict
The Confederation of African Football (CAF) has awarded three points, and three goals to Nigeria for the missed Libya game.
CAF also fined the Libya Football Federation (LFF) $50,000 over the abandoned 2025 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) qualifier.
The development comes after the CAF president, Patrice Motsepe, said a thorough probe was ongoing following the recent controversy surrounding Nigeria’s Africa Cup of Nations qualifier against Libya.
Super Eagles stand-in captain William Troost-Ekong has hailed CAF for its verdict over the botched Libya vs Nigeria game, describing it as justice served
Following the verdict, Troost-Ekong described the verdict as justice served.
“JUSTICE: CAF awards three points and three goals to Nigeria. Libya fined $50,000,” Troost-Ekong said.
“Plane was diverted 300km from scheduled airport even when the pilot told them he was low on fuel. One step closer to our target AFCON 2025.”
— William Troost-Ekong (M.O.N) (@WTroostEkong) October 26, 2024
Indeed, Motsepe had maintained that the continental body would not tolerate any lack of sportsmanship and unfair treatment in African football.
However, in the latest development on Saturday, a statement signed by CAF’s Chairperson of CAF Disciplinary Board, Ousmane Kane said the decision to award Nigeria the points was taken after findings by the disciplinary committee it set up to look into the matter, found Libya guilty of the inhumane treatment meted out to the Nigerian senior men’s football team.
The 5-man disciplinary committee consist of; Mr. Ousmane Kane (Senegal) Chairperson, Ms. Njeri Onyango (Kenya) Vice-Chairperson, Mr. Felix Golbassia (Tchad) Member, Mr. Patrick Shale (Lesotho) Member, and Mr. Norman Arendse (South Africa) Member.
CAF said the disciplinary board decided that; “The Libya Football Federation is found to have breached Article 31 of the African, Cup of Nations Regulations as well as Articles 82 and 151 of the CAF Disciplinary Code, and that the match No.87 Libya v. Nigeria of the CAF African Cup of Nations Qualifiers 2025 (scheduled to be played on 15 October 2024 in Benghazi) is declared lost by forfeit by Libya (by a score of 3-0).”
Following the conclusion of the board’s findings, CAF also ordered the Libya Football Federation to pay a fine of USD 50,000 within 60 days of notification of the present decision.
CAF Media Statement: pic.twitter.com/3nNfawoCA4
— CAF Media (@CAF_Media) October 26, 2024
The players and officials were stranded for hours at a Libyan airport and denied access to food and the internet as they prepared to honour their 2025 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) qualifier with the Mediterranean Knights.
It took diplomatic efforts and social media callouts for the team to be cleared to finally leave Libya.
ALSO READ:CAF Probes Super Eagles Ordeal In Libya, Threatens Sanctions
With the CAF decision, Nigeria is now poised to qualify for the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations, with two matches to spare.
The Eagles are now on 10 points from four matches, four points better than second-placed Benin Republic, while Rwanda have five points. Bottom-placed Libya have only one point and are out of the running for qualification.
Victory or draw against the Cheetahs of Benin Republic in Abidjan on Thursday, 14th November (a Matchday 5 encounter) will land the Super Eagles a ticket to the finals in Morocco, December 2025/January 2026.