Sports
Libya Revels In Qualifying Miracle: 2012 Nations Cup
Libya’s national team headed for home on their charter plane on Sunday, basking in the glory of improbable qualification to next year’s CAF Africa Cup of Nations. Their jet set off on a 10-hour journey from Ndola on Zambia’s Copperbelt to Tunisia, after which they plan to cross the border home and embark on a victory tour of Libya’s embattled capital Tripoli. The side will be feted as heroes after completing a remarkable campaign unbeaten, setting off huge celebrations across a country still mired in conflict.
Libya’s 0-0 draw away against Zambia in Chingola was not enough to win their group, but it was good enough to see them finish in one of the two best runner-up berths. The Libyans had been aware of their potential to slip through into the 16-team field for next year’s tournament in Equatorial Guinea and Gabon, with their Brazilian coach Marcos Paqueta cognisant that a draw might be enough, provided they could hold out against an attacking Zambia side on home soil.
There were some hair-raising moments for the Libya defence, but goalkeeper Samir Aboud and central defender Ali Salama in particular put in heroic performances that ensured a goalless stalemate that left the side on 12 points, one behind their hosts. But it was not yet mathematically certain that Libya would go through when their match at the Nchanga Stadium concluded, even though they wasted no time beginning their celebrations.
Paqueta looked almost bewildered by the achievement at the end of the game, while the hero of the hour, veteran goalkeeper Aboud, stood serenely to the side of his team-mates who were feverishly hugging each other in congratulations. “It is unbelievable what these players have done, even if we didn’t play so well today,” the much-travelled Paqueta said after the game in which the hosts rattled the woodwork twice. “We believed in our mission, and we have gone through a lot together.”
Aboud, who at 39 was making an unlikely return to a much revamped line-up, called qualification a win for “all the Libyan people, not only the team” before adding emotionally: “We have gone through a lot, but we have stayed true to our job and this victory is for all of us.”
Libya had high ambitions when they started the qualifying campaign last June, hiring the former Saudi Arabia coach on a four-year contract. “I had seen this Libyan team play on television before, and so I was intrigued by them,” said Paqueta. “When they proposed a contract with me, I made a huge plan of work, not only for the national side but also the junior teams and to help the club structures. The Libyans liked it, and so I signed.”
His tenure started successfully with a draw away in Mozambique in the first of the Group D qualifiers and then a home win last October over Zambia. “But they were not easy games. The match in Mozambique came in the middle of Ramadan and the players were fasting. They were physically weak because of it,” Paqueta explained. “Against Zambia, our team doctor had a heart attack and died in the hotel the night before the match. He was very popular with the players.”
Shortly before their next game at the end of March came the start of the country’s revolution. It meant the game against the Comoros Islands had to go ahead in neutral Mali but the Libyans still won comfortably in Bamako. By then, their domestic league had stopped and organised football ground to halt. It had taken a matter of weeks for the situation to change entirely.
By June, the conflict left the team in ruins, and Paqueta had only players from the capital Tripoli to choose from for the return game, away in the Comoros. It ended 1-1 draw after a late goal by the hosts. By the time the qualifiers resumed in September for the penultimate group game, the situation was even more fluid and the ‘home’ match against Mozambique moved to Cairo. But Libya won to keep alive their seemingly improbable hopes, and then completed an unbeaten campaign by drawing in Chingola on Saturday.
“We have had a big challenge, but I told my players we need to focus on the football first,” said a proud Paqueta. “We don’t have to always mix the problems of the country with football, and to their credit they have kept concentrating on the task ahead.
Now the coach will turn his attention to preparing for the Cup of Nations finals. He is seeking to find more players of Libyan descent in Europe to strengthen the side and wants to give more home-based youngsters an opportunity. He is hoping to fix several training camps to keep his players competitive. It will be only the third time Libya are represented at the Cup of Nations but, whatever result they achieve, they have already far exceeded expectations. The hero Aboud summed up the warm feelings in the team by describing the qualification simply as “a miracle.”
Nigeria has launched a nationwide grassroots flag football development initiative in partnership with the National Football League (NFL) and Browns Nigeria as part of efforts to promote youth development and expand participation in the sport across the country.
The programme, tagged “One Ball. One Flag. One Future,” is being spearheaded by the Nigeria American Football Association (NAFA) and will be officially unveiled in Lagos on Wednesday.
According to NAFA, the initiative will involve the distribution of 2,000 footballs and 5,000 flag kits to schools, educational institutions and community organisations nationwide to increase access to flag football and establish a structured pathway for youth development through sports.
NAFA described the rollout as a major milestone in building a sustainable American football ecosystem in Nigeria, where the sport is still at a developmental stage compared to football and basketball.
The association said the programme extends beyond equipment distribution and is aimed at fostering leadership, discipline, teamwork, confidence and resilience among young Nigerians.
Speaking on the initiative, NAFA Chief Executive Officer and Founder, Babajide Akeredolu, said the programme is designed to create opportunities for young people across the country.
“‘One Ball. One Flag. One Future’ is about more than equipment distribution. It is about access. It is about possibility. It is about ensuring that a child in any community across Nigeria can discover a sport that teaches leadership, teamwork, discipline, confidence and resilience,” he said.
Flag football, a non-contact version of American football, has witnessed growing global popularity and is set to make its Olympic debut at the 2028 Los Angeles Games, a development that has boosted international investment in youth-focused programmes.
NAFA said the initiative would serve as the foundation for long-term development programmes at primary, secondary and tertiary education levels.
The association outlined several participation pathways, including the K-12 Flag Football Development Programme, the Nigeria Secondary School Flag Football League (NSSFFL), and the Nigeria Collegiate Flag Football League (NCFFL).
The programme also features the Gridiron Gems Girls Development Initiative, which aims to increase female participation in the sport, alongside talent identification and athlete development schemes.
According to NAFA, the objective is to create a sustainable ecosystem for athletes, coaches and officials while integrating flag football into Nigeria’s educational and community structures.
The launch event is expected to attract government officials, sports administrators, education stakeholders, youth leaders and development partners.
Organisers said the partnership with the NFL and Browns Nigeria reflects a broader strategy to expand flag football across Africa through grassroots investment, institutional collaboration and structured development programmes.
They added that the initiative is expected to strengthen youth engagement in sports while creating new opportunities for leadership development and community participation nationwide.
When completed, the Warri City Stadium, which is being re-modelled by the Delta State government might “compel” some African countries to use it in prosecuting their CAF and continental matches soon, so says the contractor handling the project, Olanrewaju Adeleke.
The stadium is expected to be completed in September this year.
Speaking with The Guardian, yesterday, Adeleke, who is the Managing Director of Peculiar Consults, stated that
apart from an upgraded FIFA-standard hybrid grass surface and complete underground drainage system, the Warri Stadium is also designed with an advanced nine-lane tartan track (World Athletics standard), an Olympic-sized swimming pool, and a brand new indoor sports hall. There are also a basketball court, volleyball court, tennis court, and two dedicated practice pitches.
Other features in the new Warri stadium include advanced security and surveillance systems covering the interior and surrounding areas.
“Going by the work we have done so far, I am sure the stadium will be ready by September this year,” Adeleke said. “And it will be the new sports destination for many African countries because of the quality of both the playing turf, which is of FIFA standard, and other aspects of the complex. We have some West African countries playing their CAF and continental matches in far away Morocco and South Africa. But all that will change when we complete this Warri City Stadium.”
Adeleke said that the stadium’s playing turf, which used to be waterlogged, has been ‘raised’ to three layers.
“As we speak, it rains on daily basis here in Warri, but you won’t see a single drop of water on the pitch because of the concrete job we did underneath. Presently, the playing turf is on three layers, and it was done to FIFA specification. The dream of Delta State Government is to elevate Warri Stadium to world-class standard and that is what we have done,” he said.
The new stadium complex, which will see the capacity increased from 17,000 to 20,000 spectators, will feature an upgraded, FIFA-standard hybrid grass surface and a complete overhaul of underground drainage systems.
Adeleke said: “As a contractor, we allow our jobs to speak for us. The Warri Stadium is the first we have done in Nigeria. We are also handling the re-grassing of Teslim Balogun Stadium in Lagos, and we have secured the contract to handle two stadia in Bayelsa State. We might also re-grass the Stephen Keshi Stadium in Asaba. By the time we complete these five stadia, Nigeria will be moving close to countries like Morocco and South Africa in terms of stadia with FIFA-standard hybrid grass surface.”
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