Nigeria Awarded 3 Points and 3 Goals in Abandoned AFCON Qualifier Against Libya
The Confederation of African Football (CAF) Disciplinary Board has awarded Nigeria three points and three goals in their Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) qualifier against Libya, which was abandoned. The decision was made after the Libya Football Federation was found to have violated Articles 82 and 151 of the CAF Disciplinary Code.
CAF’s ruling comes after a thorough investigation into the circumstances surrounding the abandoned match, which saw the game halted under controversial conditions. Libya’s breach of CAF regulations has resulted in the forfeiture of the match, handing Nigeria a significant boost in their quest to qualify for the AFCON tournament.
Background
The match between Nigeria and Libya was originally part of the qualifiers for the upcoming Africa Cup of Nations. However, it was abandoned under disputed conditions, leading to CAF’s intervention. The specific violations of Articles 82 and 151 of the CAF Disciplinary Code point to Libya’s failure to adhere to the proper conduct and organization expected in official competitions.
Article 82 generally addresses misconduct that could bring the game into disrepute, while Article 151 covers matters of team responsibility and adherence to organizational rules. As a result of these breaches, CAF has ruled in favor of Nigeria, awarding them three points and three goals, further cementing their standing in the qualification race.
This decision is likely to have a lasting impact on both teams’ trajectories in the competition, with Nigeria moving ahead, while Libya must now regroup after the loss of points and the resulting sanctions.
