UYO, AKWA IBOM — The Nigerian Super Eagles contingent faced a major scare on Saturday after their chartered ValueJet aircraft was forced to make an emergency landing in Angola. The alarming diversion occurred after the pilot detected a dangerous crack in one of the plane’s windows while mid-flight from South Africa, Africa Update reports.
The team was traveling to Uyo, Akwa Ibom, where they are scheduled to play a crucial final qualifier match in their bid for a spot at the 2026 FIFA World Cup.
A top official of the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF), traveling with the squad, confirmed the frightening development to newsmen, describing the event as “a close call that could have been worse.” The flight, which departed Durban, was immediately diverted to an Angolan airport upon the discovery of the structural fault, highlighting a perilous moment for the national heroes ahead of their most important game of the campaign.
Tense Final Battle for Group C Qualification
The aviation scare adds an unsettling layer of drama to what is already a nail-biting finish in Group C of the FIFA World Cup African qualifiers. With only one matchday remaining, the race remains wide open, pitting three nations against each other for the group’s sole automatic ticket.
The current standings are exceptionally tight:
- Benin Republic leads with 17 points.
- South Africa follows closely with 15 points.
- Nigeria (Super Eagles) sits third with 14 points.
The Super Eagles kept their hopes alive with a gritty 2-1 victory over Lesotho in Polokwane, secured by Captain William Troost-Ekong’s penalty and a second goal from Akor Adams. However, Benin Republic maintained their narrow advantage with a 1-0 win against Rwanda. Meanwhile, South Africa’s goalless draw with Zimbabwe dashed their hopes of an early qualification.
The decisive final fixtures on Tuesday will now determine which team clinches the World Cup berth, following the dramatic and unexpected events of the Super Eagles’ journey home.
