Libya’s draw with Angola takes a controversial turn as tensions rise over goal celebrations.
The 2026 World Cup qualifier between Libya and Angola at Benina Martyrs Stadium on Thursday ended in an unexpected 1-1 draw, but days later, that is no longer the main talking point.
The Libyan football federation has voiced its concern, expressing dissatisfaction regarding the behaviour from the Angolan players after they equalised.
Libya were off to a winning start, scoring the goal in the 74th minute courtesy of Muaid Ellafi but Angola came from behind to equalise in the 93rd minute through Fredy. Their celebration after the goal was deemed unethical by the Libyan federation.
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The federation filed an official complaint to FIFA, insisting that the way Angola celebrated was disrespectful to the thousands of fans who had flooded the stadium and those watching from the comfort of their homes.
The federation explained that the unruly behaviour was a violation of the ‘principles of fair play upheld by CAF and FIFA’.
“The Libyan Football Federation urgently calls on FIFA’s Disciplinary Committee to take swift action and apply the necessary regulations to address this serious breach,” the statement read in part.
“We demand appropriate measures to be taken to ensure that such behavior is not repeated, safeguarding the integrity of the sport and the respect of all parties involved.
“We trust that both FIFA and CAF will treat this complaint with the seriousness it deserves and act accordingly in line with the regulations.”
With the 1-1 draw, Libya added one point to their campaign, bringing their total to eight. They are in Group D alongside Angola, Cameroon, and Cape Verde.
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Cape Verde leads the group with 10 points after a 1-0 win over Mauritius, followed by Cameroon who have nine points after a goalless draw with Eswatini. Libya sits third with eight points, while Angola trails closely behind with seven.
