Author: Peter Noah KC

THE Confederation of African Football will on Wednesday announce its decision on the botched AFCON qualifying Group D between Libya and Nigeria, which was scheduled for Benina Martyrs Stadium on October 15, PUNCH Sports reports. According to Libya Al-Ahrar Channel, the apex continental football body will announce the final decision regarding the players’ ordeal during the first leg in Nigeria in October, which ended 1-0 in favour of the Super Eagles and the reverse fixture that would have held at the 10,550-capacity, Libya’s first all-seater stadium. The outlet also revealed that the Libyan Football Federation submitted all the documents it…

BAYER Leverkusen and Nigeria striker Victor Boniface on Sunday shared video footage and photos of his smashed car after an accident. The forward can be seen looking into the camera and then showing what appears to be his arm dripping with blood. Other images show a black sports car which appears to have been destroyed in an accident. The post has since been deleted. German tabloid Bild reported Sunday Boniface is “doing well considering the circumstances and is only slightly injured”, citing a source close to the striker. Boniface wrote on social media on Sunday “god is the greatest” and…

NIGERIA have dispatched Ecuador in a Group A match at the FIFA U-17 World Cup to book their spot in the quarterfinals of the competition. The Flamingos won the game 4-0. That victory sealed their spot in the next round of the competition having defeated New Zealand 1-4 in their first match of the tournament. Nigeria scored once in the first half and had a hat-trick of goals upon resumption to win the game. A brace from Shakirat Moshood – one in the 28th minute and the second in the 96th minute- saw Nigeria claim all three points in the…

THE Libyan Football Federation is panicking after being asked by CAF to submit documents relating to the cancellation of the AFCON qualifying Group D match against Nigeria after the latter refused to play the match after their plane was diverted to Labraq Airport and held hostage for 18 hours without food and water. According to Libya Al-Ahrar Channel, the Secretary-General and person in charge of running the body, Nasser Al-Suwaie, confirmed in a special statement to Libya Al-Ahrar that CAF has given the Libyan and Nigerian associations until the 20th of this month to submit the documents related to this…

SUPER Eagles skipper, Ahmed Musa was among the goals as Kano Pillars crushed champions Enugu Rangers 4-3 in a Nigeria Premier Football League matchday 7 encounter at Nnamdi Azikiwe Stadium on Wednesday. The 32-year-old rounded off the scoring for the visitor on the stroke of halftime, taking his tally to three in two matches for his boyhood club since joining them in September for the remainder of the season, having marked his debut with a brace in their 2-0 home win over Sunshine Stars on October 6. The Kano-based club started the match like a house on fire, racing into…

THE Minister of Sports Development, Senator John Enoh, has condemned the inhuman treatment of Nigerian players in Libya. Enoh, who was a guest on Channels Television’s Politics Today, said the Federal Government would get to the root of the matter. The minister explained that the Nigerian government would not take the matter lightly, arguing that his counterpart in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Yusuf Tuggar, has summoned the Libyan Ambassador to Nigeria. “I am aware that the Ministry of Foreign Affairs had summoned the Libyan Ambassador. The Nigerian government so far has not treated this lightly and is not going…

THE Confederation of African Football has delisted the Group D second-leg fixture of the ongoing 2025 African Cup of Nations qualifier between the Super Eagles of Nigeria and the Mediterranean Knights of Libya. CAF published an updated game fixture on its X handle on Tuesday, however, it does not include the Libya versus Nigeria game. The game was earlier scheduled to take place in Libya by 8 pm on Tuesday after the first leg took place in Godswill Akpabio Stadium, Uyo on Friday. The Super Eagles beat the Mediterranean Knights by a lone goal in the dying minute of the…

THE Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) has recounted how the Super Eagles’ 20-hour ordeal in Libya. Players and officials were stranded for hours at a Libyan airport and denied access to food and the internet as they prepared to honour their 2025 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) qualifier with the Mediterranean Knights. It took diplomatic efforts and social media callouts for the team to be cleared to finally leave Libya. After they landed in Nigeria, the NFF’s Director of Communications Ademola Olajire narrated how the team and officials were held in Libya. In a 20-point statement, he wrote: 1) The chartered…

THE Super Eagles have arrived in Nigeria after their ordeal in Libyan for a 2025 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) qualifier. Players and officials were stranded for about 13 hours at a Libyan airport ahead of the game which was supposed to take place on Tuesday. Photos of the team sleeping on benches went viral early Monday, prompting condemnation. But hours later, the team has now landed in Nigeria after Libyan authorities cleared their flight to take off. “BACK HOME SAFE & SOUND. Proud of this team, NAIJA SPIRIT can’t be broken. Throw at us what you want, it’s in…

THE Confederation of African Football has expressed deep concern over the troubling ordeal faced by Nigeria’s national football team, the Super Eagles, at a Libyan airport. The federation highlighted immediate steps to engage both Libyan and Nigerian authorities, following reports that the team and their staff were left stranded under distressing conditions for several hours. The incident is now under investigation by CAF’s Disciplinary Board. This was contained in a statement obtained from the CAF website on Monday afternoon. It was titled, “CAF Views the Disturbing and Unacceptable Experiences of the Nigerian National Football Team (‘Super Eagles’) at an Airport…

THE Sports Minister, John Enoh said he has escalated the ill-treatment meted out to the Super Eagles by the Libyan authorities since they landed at the Al Abaq Airport on Sunday, to all concerned authorities.  A statement by the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) Communications Department on Monday said the team were left unattended to at the Al Abraq Airport. A video posted by the Eagles media team also confirmed the development, as the players and officials, along with their luggage, were left stranded at the airport, with the Libyan airport officials indifferent to their plight. The Eagles departed for Libya…

THE Nigeria Football Federation has said the Super Eagles will no longer take part in the 2025 AFCON qualifier against Libya after the Libyan authorities delayed the Super Eagles at the Al Abraq Airport for more than 12 hours after landing.  A statement by the Nigerian Football Federation (NFF) Communications Department on Monday, said the team were left unattended to at the Al Abraq Airport. A video posted by the Eagles media team also confirmed the development, as the players and officials, along with their luggage, were left stranded at the airport, with the Libyan airport officials indifferent to their…

THE Super Eagles of Nigeria have left for Libya for the return leg of the Africa Cup of Nations qualification against the Mediterranean Knights on Tuesday. A video posted on the team’s social media handles on Sunday showed when the players boarded bus from their hotel to the airport and their arrival at the airport to board a plain to the North African country. The Eagles battled hard the break the defence of the Libyans and won the first encounter played at the Godswill Akpabio International Stadium in Uyo, the Akwa Ibom State capital on Friday. It was Lazio of…

FORMER Green Eagles goalkeeper, Peter Fregene, is dead. His death was announced by Segun Odegbami on Sunday. Odegbami, Peter Fregene’s friend and ex-international, said the legend died after a protected illness in the presence of his wife, Tina, and two of his children. Recall that this newspaper reported that Segun Odegbami solicited financial assistance for the ailing Fregene. In a statement on Tuesday, Odegbami disclosed that Fregene was hospitalised in Sapele, Delta state, and urgently needed medical attention and financial assistance. He said although “Tony Ojesina covered the ambulance costs, more funds need to be paid before he can be…

DEFENDING Champions of the Betsy Obaseki Woman Football Tournament, Edo Queens Football Club of Benin-City on Saturday defeated Abia Angels FC of Umuahia in 4-0 to move into the semifinals of the annual pre-season competition. In one of the quarterfinal games played at the University of Benin Sports Complex, Edo Queens’ winger, Chioma Moses, scored twice, while Emem Essien and Folashade Ijamilusi added one goal each to make it four for the Nigerian champions. The ladies from Umuahia fought hard in the second half to reduce the tally, but their efforts were thwarted by the Edo girls. Moses Aduku’s team…

STAND-IN Super Eagles captain, William Troost-Ekong, says Ahmed Musa remains the captain and is welcome back to the team any time. The 31-year-old Al-Kholood of Saudi Arabia centre back made the observation in a press conference on Wednesday ahead of Friday’s 2025 AFCON qualifying fixture against Libya at Godswill Akpabio International Stadium in Uyo. “He’s still our captain, and he’s welcome back any time. He’s our most capped player, a good role model, and he’s a good leader. I am happy to deputise for him,” said the Netherlands-born, who is expected to marshal the Super Eagles backline later today. Aside…

THE home-based Super Eagles team has been drawn against Ghana in the CAF African Nations Championship (CHAN) 2024 qualifiers. The draw which held in Cairo Egypt on Wednesday pitched the West African bitter rivals against each other, meaning only one of them can make it to the tournament. Kenya, Uganda and Tanzania will host the uniquely designed CAF competition that is reserved for players plying their trade in their respective countries between 01 – 28 February 2025. A total of 40 nations engaged in the draw to determine the first of two rounds of qualifiers to determine the final teams…

SUPER Eagles interim coach, Austine Eguavoen, has backed Victor Boniface, Taiwo Awoniyi, Kelechi Awoniyi and other invited players to deliver the three points despite the absence of his number one choice striker, Victor Osimhen. Nigeria take on Libya in a doubleheader game of the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations qualifiers. The first match of the doubleheader is set for Friday, October 11, at the Godswill Akpabio International Stadium before both sides trade tackles at the Martyrs of Benina Stadium, Libya four days later. Unfortunately, Eguavoen will not be without Osimhen after the striker picked up an injury during Galatasaray’s 3-3…

ENYIMBA FC will face two Egyptian clubs, title-holders Zamalek and Al Masry, in the group stage as they bid to become the first Nigerian winners of the CAF Confederation Cup. Mozambican team Black Bulls complete Group D after the draw was made at the Confederation of African Football offices in Cairo on Monday. Enyimba have been the most successful Nigerian club in CAF competitions, winning back-to-back Champions League and Super Cup titles between 2003 and 2005. But the second Super Cup success was the last time a club from African football powerhouses Nigeria have lifted a CAF trophy. Based in…

SUPER Eagles captain Ahmed Musa marked his return to the Nigeria Premier Football League with a brace but missed a penalty for Kano Pillars, who beat Sunshine Stars 2-0 at the Muhammadu Dikko Stadium in Katsina on Sunday. Winless in their last three matches, coach Usman Abdallah and his team were weighed down by the pressure of the new campaign, and he trusted the returning Musa with a place in the starting lineup. Making his third debut for Kano Pillars in the week five game, Musa justified Adballah’s confidence in him as it took him just four minutes to register…