AFCON
Against Leone Stars, Super Eagles must avert a sixth ‘no-win’ match
BY KUNLE SOLAJA.
Nigeria’s Super Eagles will be aiming to regain their esteem this Thursday evening as they begin the quest for qualification for the 2023 Africa Cup of Nations will a home duel with Sierra Leone.
This is a duel like no other one. It is the first time ever the team has been compelled to play a home match behind closed doors following crowd behavior the last time they played at home.
Somehow, playing in an empty MKO Abiola National Stadium in Abuja has its advantage. The Super Eagles will not be put under crowd pressure.
But there is another pressure. First this is the third time in two years that the team will be facing Sierra Leone. Sadly, they have not been able to beat the Leone Stars in their last two encounters.
Worst still, when they met on Nigerian soil, the visitors did the incredible, coming back from a 30-minute four goals down to level up at 4-4 within 20 minutes. It was one of the most remarkable come-bact stories in African football.
It marked the first time Nigeria conceded four goals at home since their 6-2 loss to United Arab Republic (largely Egypt) in November 1959.
But the greater presure on the Super Eagles is the quest to return to the winning way. The last time they won a match was on 19 January this year in Garoua, Cameroon when they beat Guinea Bissau 2-0.
Since, they have gone five matches without a win. The last time Nigeria ran a five streak of ‘no win’ was 59 years ago when it took a whole year from 24 November 1963 to 27 December 1964 before Nigeria won a match having lost to Egypt, Sudan, twice to Morocco and losing on Nigerian soil to Togo on home soil to be out of contention for the football event of the 1st All Africa Games in Congo.
This Thursday’s encounter with Sierra Leone will be the sixth match since they last won a match in January. Beyond that, new coach on the saddle, Jose Peseiro under whom the the team has played two matches is expected to win his first match with the Super Eagles.
Meanwhile, the Leone Stars appeared a determined lot having being in Nigeria four days ahead of the encounter. Winning may not be their first thought, but frustrating the Super Eagles into a drawn game may likely be their mission.
AFCON
Prominent Libyan football official calls for tough sanction on those responsible for Super Eagles’ maltreatment
A prominent Libyan football official, Al-Siddiq Abu Hadima,has called for tough sanctions on the Libyan Football Federation officials responsible for the crisis that engulfed the suspended Libya-Nigeria Africa Cup of Nations qualifying match.
Hadima, a former president of the Al-Dhahra Club, asked for the dismissal and prosecution of those responsible for the crisis.
In a publication in Libya’s outlet. Al-Wasat, Hadima recommended that if such people failed to submit a report that will exonerate them when the Sunday 20 October deadline issued by CAF lapses, “then they must be prosecuted and permanently dismissed.”
Al-Wasat got Hadima’s comments from his post on Facebook and remarked that “this negligence – if it happened – constitutes a betrayal of trust and a lack of awareness of the gravity of responsibility.”
It will be recalled that the Nigerian delegation to the botched match was held up for close to 20 hours at an abandoned Labraq Airport where their aircraft already on descent was dangerously diverted to.
The Nigerians were left without food and water for nearly 20 hours. CAF has already strongly condemned the actions of the Libyans.
As an investigation into the botched Libya-Nigeria Africa Cup of Nations match, the Libyan FA secretary, Nasser Al-Suwaie has raised queries on the integrity of the personnel of the Confederation of African Football (CAF).
In a report published in the online version of Libyaalahrar.tv, Al-Suwaie remarked that there may be collusion from some parties within CAF, but the position of the Libyan Federation is strong.
He added that the Libyan Federation did not change the course of the plane’s landing to Al-Abraq Airport, and the reason for changing the plane’s landing to Al-Abraq was a decision by the Libyan state, and that the sovereignty of the Libyan state must be respected by everyone.
He however was silent on why the team was held hostage at the Al Abraq Airport and why the Libyan FA did not provide any logistic support to the Nigerian team that was held up at the airport for more than 16 hours without food and water.
Sources in Libya have confirmed that the Libyan Football Federation is under investigation over the botched Libya-Nigeria Africa Cup of Nations qualifier which failed to hold last Tuesday.
Nasser Al-Suwaie, Secretary-General of the Libyan FA, reportedly confirmed that the body has been queried by the Confederation of African Football (CAF).
The Libyan FA has been asked to submit documents related to the cancellation of the match.
According to Libya Al-Ahrar, the FA has given them up till Sunday 20 October to submit the documents related to this file.
The Libyan FA secretary general, Al-Suwaie indicated that the body has assigned a specialized lawyer to provide evidence.
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