Both sides have accused the other team of pre-match travel sabotage, adding a fiery element to Nigeria and Libya's 2025 Africa Cup of Nations rematch. According to club spokeswoman Promise Efoghe, the Super Eagles' plane was rerouted to an airstrip 240 kilometers east of Benghazi, where it was initially expected to land for the return leg of this two-match series.
He said, "About an hour to landing, the Nigerian aircraft approaching its destination Benghazi was diverted to another city more than two-hour drive from the original destination."
“We have suffered from this problem for many years” : Faisal Al-Badri
Prior to the Super Eagles' 1-0 victory, Libyan captain Faisal Al-Badri said the team had poor treatment in Nigeria and demanded payback. He said, "Our luggage was searched inside the plane for an hour, and we were also delayed in transportation from one city to another for three hours, even though we travelled on a private plane, and there was an airport close to the city we wanted to play in.”
The skipper continued as he said, "After a long time, three non-air-conditioned minibuses and a police car arrived, in addition to two cars from the Libyan embassy. The question is, how long will we continue to receive this kind of reception? While other teams are received in the best airports and hotels, should we always be patient in the face of these things?”
He ended by stating that, "We have suffered from this problem for many years, and although we are willing to tolerate it, there must be a solution to these practices. We demand that the relevant authorities look into these actions, and we express the need for reciprocity."
The problem permeated the game, and until Fisayo Dele-Bashiro shattered the deadlock with just four minutes remaining, the sides wasted much of their time engaging in pointless gamesmanship. And when the referee only added four minutes of extra time, they were furious.
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