My Neighborhood Watch #70 - Reporting Events Around us

My humble greetings to the entire community, I'm so pleased that each time I'm choke off encounters and want to pour it out by telling someone, i always have this community dearest to my heart 💘 to share with what's happening in my neighborhood.

The Unprofessional Incident that Occur.

I believe some of us here are lovers of football 🏀 and that definitely what cheer our days up.

lately last week and earlier this week was a call for international football, which means players at different clubs retire to their respective countries to represent in either a cup qualifications games, nation leagues or friendly.

So in Africa 🌍 here the international duties at hand is the AFCON 2026 MORROCO QUALIFIER.
Nigeria precisely was taking on Libya on Match Day 3 and 4 at home and away respectively.

About Match Day 3 where Nigeria was welcoming Libya to Godswill Akpabio International stadium Uyo 🏟️ my home city which I was oppurtune to be there live and direct.

But before that an incident happen where the Libya team fly into Nigeria, then later taking a domestic flight instead landing in uyo where the match venue is, there land in Port Harcourt a city close to Uyo but with a huge Kilometers apart.
They ask the Nigeria Football Federation(NFF) to sponsor their flight from Port Harcourt to Uyo but NFF suggest that they'll travel by bus to Uyo since they refuse using the route there were told, insisting that it's an additional cost to their pocket.

^{[Libya Team being delayed at Port Harcourt Airport]}

• The Libya team waited for Three hours while a thorough check was carried out on them. Soon the long branded luxurious bus 🚌 arrives with two Hilux of Security Personnel, taking them safely down to Uyo city by road.

^{[The Branded Bus for Libya Team by NFF]}

They were received and given accommodations in one of the city premium hotel (The Ibom Icon five star ✨ Hotel).
The stadium was also open 👐 and given to them for training sessions before the match day.

Finally Friday 11th was here for the match and kickoff time was 5pm.
both teams arrived and prepare themselves, sooner the match start but a very strange thing happens during the match. The Libya players were all acting up just to delay time, falling down often and refusing to wake, their goal keeper lay more than 6 times in the pitch acting to be unconscious and at a certain point he received a yellow 💛 card as warning.

The ball play was so dull and not entertaining at all until when Nigeria was oppurtune to score during the late minutes of the game that's when Libya team wakes up trying to play sharp, rushing the balls in and wanting to get an equalizer but a payback was given to them after their striker get in contacts with the Nigerian Shot stopper (Nwabali). The guy waisted almost all the time as if he was giving up all to delay time too.
Soon the Final whistle was blown by the referee and the Libya players rush to confirm the center ref watch ⌚ if the game actually ended according to time.

few hours the Nigeria Shot stopper tweeted on X saying "Na who come wise pass" this very tweet was indirectly to the Libya team.

Later the Libya players were all complaining of poor treatment by Nigerians, saying their lost was caused by Nigeria allowing them to travel by road 🛣️ and they were all exhausted. Was this really true!? no I doubt because they arrived the hotel three days before the match.

• The next headline was all Libya media, Captain and board saying they'll payback the Nigerians team with poor treatment on returning leg at their home.

The Match Day 4 was to held at Libya as the second leg. the Nigerian team traveled to Libya on Sunday, about landing 🛬 at the airport there were supposed to and the city where the match will be plated, the staff/airport workers informed the pilot that he can't land despite having all the necessary documents, telling that their flight ✈️ is diverted to another place which is more of thousands kilome from the match venue.

^{[The Nigerian Team waiting for check in at Libya Airport]}

So they was no other option than to go where they were directed, they land safely and was about checking in, the staff come up an excuse of having a glitch and so can't check in the Nigeria team, asking them to wait for some hours. the Nigeria players waited till the airport closed from work, not allowing them out but locking them in at the airport with no food, no WiFi for Internet connection and so on, the team have to us the chair and floor as bed 🛏️.

^{[The Nigeria players making use of the airport seats as 🛏️ bed]}

• In the morning till around 10 am they still didn't check in the Nigeria players instead harrasing them and that's where the Captain Troost Ekong alarm 🚨 to the public by finding for a connection to report online saying this doesn't not only looks like a glitch but a deliberate actions to play with their minds as revenge.
• Surprisingly it was 17+ hours and the team was still at airport, the Nigeria team after discussion among themselves agreed 👍 💯 not to play the Match again which was suppose to hold on Tuesday and till late afternoon they are still at airport not check in yet.

An Order was sent by the NFF that the Nigeria team should return back home and not played the match again. That's when the Libya Football Association sent an 18 seater bus to come pick the Nigeria team.

^{[The bus sent by Libya to pick Nigeria team at the airport]}

But Nigeria mind was made up to not play anymore and besides that bus can't carry all the players talk more of staffs and coaches.

• Now refueling the plane for Nigeria to fly back, the workers says there's no fuel at the airport. After much calling and talks, the plain was refuel and the staff said to Nigerians that they was Fuel ⛽, which shows that the Libya government all involve in this unprofessional act and non sportsmanship.

When the Nigeria players finally fly back, the Libya Football Association came out apologizing that the act wasn't intentional but it was already late as CAF was informed and investigation was ongoing on both side and a promise to punish the deliberate offending side.

^{[CAF finally responded to put an end to all this SAGA]}
After the investigation the CAF release to the public that the match has been rescheduled to March 2025 and will be play in a neutral ground not Libya anymore. A fine off 10 Millions Dollars to the Libya Football Association for a deliberate and intentional act, promise to ban Libya from AFCON if such act respeat itself.

• After all drama from both team, it's interesting there's a bigger body controlling the affairs of all who look into the matter, take necessary action and correct what's supposed to all for peace to reign not fight and bullying.

I'm inviting @fortwis09, @eveetim and as well all other steemians to share an opinion on this, I believe probably you must have heard of this incident so what's your suggestion and how do you see both teams actions.

PHOTO CREDITS:
SOAR SUPER EAGLES
POOJAMEDIA

            Thanks Y'all

CC,
@xkool24