Super Eagles captain, William Troost-Ekong, has celebrated the ruling by the Confederation of African Football regarding the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations qualifier match between Libya and Nigeria.
PUNCH online reports that the Disciplinary Board of the Confederation of African Football awarded Nigeria three points and three goals from the abandoned Matchday 4 encounter in the 2025 AFCON qualification series, scheduled to be played between Libya and Nigeria in Benina on 15 October.
In its ruling on Saturday, signed by chairman Ousmane Kane, the Disciplinary Board determined that the Libyan Football Federation was in breach of Article 31 of the Africa Cup of Nations Regulations and Articles 82 and 151 of the CAF Disciplinary Code.
“The Libyan Football Federation is found to have breached Article 31 of the Africa Cup of Nations Regulations, as well as Articles 82 and 151 of the CAF Disciplinary Code.
“The match No. 87, Libya v Nigeria, of the CAF Africa Cup of Nations Qualifiers 2025 (scheduled to be played on 15 October 2024 in Benghazi), is declared lost by forfeit by Libya (with a record of 3-0),” the ruling read in part.
The LFF was also ordered to pay a fine of USD 50,000, with payment due within 60 days of notification of the present decision.
The outcome of the Disciplinary Committee means that Nigeria is close to qualifying for the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations, with two matches to spare.
As a result, the Super Eagles are now on 10 points from four matches, four points ahead of second-placed Benin Republic, while Rwanda has five points. Bottom-placed Libya has only one point and is out of the running for qualification.
A win or draw against the Cheetahs of Benin Republic in Abidjan on Thursday, 14 November (a matchday 5 encounter) will secure the Super Eagles a ticket to the finals in Morocco, scheduled for December 2025/January 2026.
The Nigerian team had boycotted the match citing safety concerns, after being left stranded at the remote Al-Abraq airport on the outskirts of Benghazi for over 22 hours.
The LFF, in response, accused the Nigeria Football Federation of not cooperating with it regarding the travel itinerary.
It also alleged that the Libyan national team had suffered the same fate in Nigeria during the reverse fixture a week earlier, claiming the team was left stranded at Port Harcourt Airport by Nigerian authorities.
Reacting in a post via his verified X.com, @WTroostEkong, on Saturday, the Super Eagles skipper said the development means the Super Eagles are one step closer to the AFCON 2025.
He wrote, “JUSTICE: CAF awards three points and three goals to Nigeria. Libya fined $50,000.
“The plane was diverted 300km from the scheduled airport, even when the pilot told them he was low on fuel.
“One step closer to our target AFCON 2025.”