Former Stationery Stores and Green Eagles midfielder Adebayo Gbadebo has commended the Confederation of African Football’s (CAF) Disciplinary Board for awarding Nigeria three points and three goals from the aborted AFCON 2025 qualifying match against Libya.
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Gbadebo labeled the ruling as “highly expected,” given the harsh treatment endured by the Super Eagles and their delegation at the hands of Libyan authorities, as reported by softfootball.com.
CAF’s Disciplinary Chambers found Libya accountable for the incident that led to the cancellation of the scheduled match on October 15, 2024, at Benghazi Stadium. Nigeria had previously won the first leg of the Group D clash 1-0 at the Godswill Akpabio International Stadium in Uyo on October 11. With this win, the Super Eagles aimed to secure another victory to strengthen their quest for AFCON 2025 qualification. Conversely, Libya was in dire need of points to reignite their hopes after a poor start, which ultimately resulted in the dismissal of coach Milutin Sredojević (Micho).
Upon their arrival in Libya, the Nigerian team faced significant challenges as their flight was diverted to Al Abraq Airport despite being cleared to land at Benghazi Airport. The delegation was stranded for over 14 hours without food or means of communication—an incident the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) deemed a serious breach of CAF’s Code of Conduct. Consequently, the NFF opted to withdraw the Super Eagles from the match.
Following an investigation, CAF’s Disciplinary Committee determined that Libya was at fault and awarded Nigeria the full three points and three goals. In addition, Libya’s Football Federation was fined $50,000 for their role in the disruption.
Currently residing in Thailand, Gbadebo expressed his approval of CAF’s handling of the situation, stating, “It’s something we all witnessed, and no one wants to see such things in African football, which should be about growth and showcasing talent.” He emphasized the importance of making African football more appealing, asserting that CAF’s decision sends a strong message regarding their commitment to player welfare.
As a result of the ruling, Nigeria has strengthened its position at the top of Group D in the AFCON 2025 qualifiers, now sitting on 10 points from four matches—four points clear of second-placed Niger Republic and five points ahead of third-placed Rwanda. With two rounds of games remaining, the Super Eagles need just a draw in their upcoming away match against Niger Republic next month to secure their place in AFCON 2025, even with a later match against Rwanda.
Gbadebo views this outcome as a positive indication of the team’s dedication and potential, stating, “We stood our ground, the team came together, and like I always say, we have players capable of qualifying for any major competition.” He added that this ruling will serve as motivation as they prepare for the challenging World Cup qualifiers ahead, marking it as a boost for the team’s confidence.
