Nigeria’s soccer team stranded at Libya airport, putting Africa Cup qualifier in doubt
FILE - Nigeria's Ademola Lookman, left, celebrates with Nigeria's Victor Osimhen after scoring his sides first goal during the African Cup of Nations Round of 16 soccer match between Nigeria and Cameroon, at the Felix Houphouet Boigny stadium in Abidjan, Ivory Coast, Saturday, Jan. 27, 2024. (AP Photo/Sunday Alamba, File)[ASSOCIATED PRESS/Sunday Alamba]
ABUJA, Nigeria (AP) — Nigeria’s soccer players say they will boycott their Africa Cup of Nations qualifying match in Libya after being stranded overnight at Al Abraq Airport in what the team captain described as “mind games”. But authorities in Libya denied it was sabotage. The Super Eagles are scheduled to play the second-leg tie on Tuesday. Team captain William Troost-Ekong said the plane had been due to land at Benghazi Airport but was diverted at the last minute to Al Abraq some 220 kilometers away. The first leg on Friday involved similar accusations of sabotage from the Libya team. That game was won 1-0 by Nigeria.
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FILE- The Nigeria soccer team poses for a group photo before the African Cup of Nations final soccer match between Ivory Coast and Nigeria, at the Olympic Stadium of Ebimpe in Abidjan, Ivory Coast, Sunday, Feb. 11, 2024. (AP Photo/Themba Hadebe, File)
Photo: ASSOCIATED PRESS/Themba Hadebe