AFCON
Leone Stars’ Amadou Bakayoko promises Super Eagles a tough time
Sierra Leone debut hopeful, Amadou Bakayoko has promised to be in his best element if selected for the Group A duel of the Africa Cup of Nations qualifier with the Super Eagles on Thursday in Abuja.
If fielded, it will be the first appearance of the Bolton Wanderers striker in a competitive match for Sierra Leone. He scored his first goal for Sierra Leone in an international friendly in a 1-0 defeat of Liberia during their Meditteranean tour last March at the Mardan Sports Stadium in Aksu, Antalya, Turkey.
The 26 year old player is among the Leone Stars squad that arrived Abuja on Saturday.
“Without a doubt playing against Nigeria will be my first proper match for Sierra Leone. Something I am looking forward to, but both Nigeria and Guinea Bissau games are no easy games,” the big striker told footballsierraleone.net.
“God willing – we can go out there and showcase ourselves against a tough Nigeria side.” Helping Sierra Leone reach the African Cup of Nations in Ivory Coast 2023 will be massive, personally for me, my country and all of us players working so hard to give our best.”
“Making the next African Cup of Nations is something as a player want to be part of and will be unbelievable for me to play in the tournament in Ivory Coast for the first time.”
The Super Eagles are trying to break a ‘no-win’ streak which has stretched to five matches since losing 0-1 to Tunisia last January in Garoua.
The three-time African Champions will square up with the Leone Stars at Moshood Abiola Stadium in the Group A opener behind closed doors on the 9th of June.
According to Libyan sources, the Confederation of African Football (CAF) will announce its final decision on the botched Libya-Nigeria Africa Cup of Nations qualifying match.
The two parties had until Sunday, October 19th, to submit their sides of the case. But as Libya Al-Ahrar Channel puts it, not just the failed match at Benina Stadium is being investigated.
The publication has it that the Libyan Football Federation (LFF) may have asked that the first-leg match that Libya lost should be included in the investigation.
According to Libya Al-Ahrar Channel, investigations “will include the events that accompanied the first and second leg matches between the national team and Nigeria in the qualifiers for the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations.”
The Libyan Federation submitted all the documents it collected with a specialized lawyer assigned by the Libyan Federation to supervise the Libyan file with the Confederation of African Football.
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.
- AFCON6 days ago
Libya’s AFCON dreams go up in flames!
- AFCON3 days ago
CAF probes Libya over Nigeria match
- AFCON7 days ago
BREAKING! CAF wades into the Libya-Nigeria Airport episode
- AFCON7 days ago
Libya FA explains their inhumane treatment of Super Eagles delegation
- AFCON3 days ago
BREAKING! Libya Football Federation secretary doubts the integrity of CAF
- AFCON1 week ago
VIDEO: Hostile Libyan Authorities leave Super Eagles stranded at Airport
- AFCON1 week ago
NFF condoles with SuperSport and families of slain media men heading for AFCON match
- AFCON6 days ago
Rwanda breaks 12-year jinx in victory over Benin Republic