ABUJA, Nigeria (AP) — Nigeria's soccer players said on Monday they will boycott their Africa Cup of Nations qualifying match in Libya, after being stranded overnight at Al Abraq Airport in what the team captain described as “mind games.”
Authorities in Libya, however, denied it was sabotage.
The Super Eagles are scheduled to play the second-leg tie on Tuesday. The first leg, which Nigeria won 1-0 on Friday, involved similar accusations of sabotage from the Libya team.
Team captain William Troost-Ekong said the plane had been due to land at Benghazi Airport but was diverted at the last minute to Al Abraq some 220 kilometers (136 miles) away.
“The Libyan government rescinded our approved landing in Benghazi with no reason,” Troost-Ekong said on X. “They’ve locked the airport gates and left us without phone connection, food or drink. All to play mind games.”
“As the captain, together with the team, we have decided that we will not play this game,” he added.
The Libyan Football Federation said it regretted the flight diversion, adding: “It is essential to note that such incidents can occur due to routine air traffic control protocols, security checks or logistical challenges that affect international air travel,” it said on X.
Pictures posted online by the players showed some of them lying on airport seats, their luggage beside them and with no other passengers in sight. By Monday morning, some of them were asleep.
Star striker Victor Osimhen, who was not called up for the match because of a muscle injury, accused the Libyan soccer federation in an Instagram post of an “intentional tactic to weaken and ruin the morale” of Nigeria’s players.
“It’s beginning to look more like a hostage situation,” he wrote, adding: “My brothers and coaches must return home safely. We are not criminals or prisoners.”
Among the players in Nigeria’s squad are Ademola Lookman, who scored a hat trick for Atalanta in the Europa League final last season and is on the Ballon d’Or shortlist, and Victor Boniface, a striker for German champion Bayer Leverkusen.
Premier League players Ola Aina, Calvin Bassey, Alex Iwobi, Taiwo Awoniyi and Wilfred Ndidi were also in the team that beat Libya 1-0 on Friday.
The Libyan team accused its opponent of maltreatment ahead of the first leg, an allegation the Nigerian Football Federation denied.
Libya captain Faisal Al-Badri said they were delayed “from one city to another” for three hours after their bags were searched, and before they were transported on a road trip to the city where the match was played.
“This is not the first time we have been maltreated in Africa … (and) we express the need for reciprocity,” Al-Badri had said.
Nigeria’s sports minister John Owan Enoh said he had instructed the soccer federation to send a formal complaint to the continent's soccer body. “This must be on record and thoroughly addressed,” he said in a statement.
(AP reporter Steve Douglas also contributed to this story)
AP soccer: https://apnews.com/hub/soccer
FILE- The Nigeria soccer team poses for a group photo before the African Cup of Nations final soccer match between Ivory Coast and Nigeria, at the Olympic Stadium of Ebimpe in Abidjan, Ivory Coast, Sunday, Feb. 11, 2024. (AP Photo/Themba Hadebe, File)
FILE - Nigeria's Ademola Lookman, left, celebrates with Nigeria's Victor Osimhen after scoring his sides first goal during the African Cup of Nations Round of 16 soccer match between Nigeria and Cameroon, at the Felix Houphouet Boigny stadium in Abidjan, Ivory Coast, Saturday, Jan. 27, 2024. (AP Photo/Sunday Alamba, File)
With star quarterback Dak Prescott already sidelined for the season by a torn hamstring, the Dallas Cowboys now have to go the rest of the way without right guard Zack Martin because of the seven-time All-Pro's bad ankle.
The latest injury downer for Dallas comes with the Cowboys (5-7) on the upswing of consecutive victories that have stoked hope for an improbable rally to playoff contention.
Cincinnati visits Monday night, the second of three straight opponents with losing records but easily the most dangerous with quarterback Joe Burrow playing at an MVP level despite the Bengals' baffling 4-8 record.
“It’s just like nothing changes,” star Dallas pass rusher Micah Parsons said. “We got who we got, and nothing’s going to change that. Let’s just play ball, man. Let’s just have fun. We got a great opportunity Monday night to put on a show. We’re gonna be the only show on TV.”
Burrow is one of five QBs in NFL history with at least 30 touchdown passes and no more than five interceptions through 12 games. He entered the week leading the league in passing yards (3,337), completions (302) and touchdowns (30), and he's thrown just five picks.
Yet Burrow doesn't even have half the number of victories of the others to put up those numbers in 12 games. Two of them, Aaron Rodgers with Green Bay in 2012 and Tom Brady with New England in 2007, were 12-0.
While Burrow said he isn't even thinking about the postseason as the Bengals try to end their second three-game losing streak of the season, he believes there's something to be said for the second Monday night game of the season for both teams.
“Whether you like it or not, how you perform on prime-time games matters as far as perception across the league,” said Burrow, who has at least 300 yards passing and three TDs in all three of the consecutive losses. “I think if you perform great on prime-time nights, then you start to get a little different reputation across the league.”
Martin decided this week to have season-ending ankle surgery after missing the past two games. The injury happened late in Dallas' previous Monday night game, a 34-10 loss to Houston on Nov. 18.
Prescott also had season-ending surgery on his hamstring after playing eight games. Defensive end DeMarcus Lawrence hasn't played since injuring a foot in Week 4, and appears to be at least another week away from returning.
“It’s not a matter of if you’re going to have injuries, you’re always going to have injuries,” Dallas coach Mike McCarthy said. “It’s just a matter of how many and when they come and who gets injuries. It takes so many players to get through the season, and this is another illustration of that.”
Cincinnati's three-game skid looks familiar to the Cowboys, who lost five in a row before winning the past two. Dallas' 27-20 Thanksgiving victory over the New York Giants ended a six-game home skid going back to last season's playoff loss to Green Bay.
Even without Burrow's standout stats, the Bengals would have the Cowboys' attention.
“When your offense is rolling, it puts a different level of stress on the defense,” McCarthy said. “The thing that we’re seeing is that they throw a lot at you. This is a very good football team. I would never think that their record illustrates what we see on video.”
Seven of the Bengals’ losses this season have been one-score games, and Cincinnati is the first NFL team to lose four games in a season in which it scored 33 points or more. The Bengals have averaged 30.3 points per game against teams with a .500 or better records, but they're 0-7 in those games.
Defense is the obvious place to start for an explanation.
In last week's 44-38 loss to Pittsburgh, Cincinnati gave up 520 totals yards, and Steelers quarterback Russell Wilson threw for 414 yards, the second-most of his career, and three TDs.
DeMarvion Overshown's spectacular 23-yard interception return for a touchdown against the Giants might end up being the coming-out party for Dallas' second-year linebacker. That's partly because he missed his rookie season with a knee injury.
When Overshown tipped Drew Lock's pass, ran down the deflection and scored untouched, he suddenly found himself in the company of Parsons, who is trying to go 4-for-4 in double-digit sack seasons after missing four games with a high ankle sprain.
Overshown set up the flashy play with old-fashioned physical football, overpowering Devin Singletary when the running back tried to block him and ending up between the quarterback and his RB.
“I think the best part is him defeating the block,” Parsons said. “I think the fact that the bulldozer in him, ‘I’m not going to make a move, I’m going to run through the dude.’ That’s probably the reason why he got the pick.”
Injuries have shaken up the Bengals' offensive line this season, and coach Zac Taylor is still searching for the right combination.
Veteran Cody Ford, who stepped in at left tackle when Orlando Brown Jr. was injured, replaced the benched Cordell Volson at left guard against the Steelers. Ford played well enough to get another start.
Amarius Mims, the rookie first-round draft pick, was pushed into a starting role at right tackle when Trent Brown suffered a season-ending knee injury in Week 4.
AP Sports Writer Mitch Stacy contributed to this report.
AP NFL: https://apnews.com/hub/nfl
Pittsburgh Steelers wide receiver George Pickens (14) catches a pass while defended by Cincinnati Bengals cornerback Josh Newton, right, during the second half of an NFL football game Sunday, Dec. 1, 2024, in Cincinnati. (AP Photo/Joshua A. Bickel)
Dallas Cowboys head coach Mike McCarthy responds to questions during a news conference after an NFL football game against the New York Giants in Arlington, Texas, Thursday, Nov. 28, 2024. (AP Photo/Jerome Miron)
Dallas Cowboys linebackers Micah Parsons (11) and DeMarvion Overshown (13) celebrate a sack against the New York Giants during the first half of an NFL football game in Arlington, Texas, Thursday, Nov. 28, 2024. (AP Photo/Jerome Miron)
