Libyan football fans have expressed outrage following Nigeria’s shocking 2-1 loss to Rwanda in the ongoing 2025 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) qualifiers, accusing the Super Eagles of deliberately underperforming to eliminate Libya from contention.
The allegations gained traction after Libyan media outletAlkbharpublished a post claiming that Nigeria intentionally threw the game to ensure the Mediterranean Knights failed to progress to the tournament.
“The match between Nigeria and Rwanda was a shock to the Libyan fans.
The fans expected a comfortable win for Nigeria, which would have kept Libya’s hopes alive if they defeated Benin,” the post read.
Libya needed Nigeria to defeat Rwanda to maintain their slim qualification hopes. However, Nigeria’s loss meant Libya’s 3-2 defeat to Benin was inconsequential, as the Super Eagles’ result confirmed their elimination.
The outlet highlighted the dramatic turnaround in the Nigeria-Rwanda match, where the Super Eagles squandered a 1-0 lead to lose 2-1.
“Nigeria’s one-goal lead turned into a two-goal loss, as if the Green Eagles had abandoned their competitive spirit. The scene raised many questions in sports circles,” the publication added.
The accusations have sparked heated debates on social media, with some Nigerian fans defending their team, citing a lackluster performance rather than foul play.
Meanwhile, others have criticized the Libyan media for promoting conspiracy theories.
The Nigerian Football Federation (NFF) has yet to comment on the allegations, but sources close to the team described the claims as baseless and unfounded.
Nigeria, having already secured qualification for AFCON 2025 before the match, fielded a rotated squad against Rwanda, which some observers argue could explain the surprising result.
This controversy underscores the high stakes and intense emotions surrounding AFCON qualifiers, where even the slightest misstep can alter the fates of multiple teams.
