By David Gold
September 3 – Libya won their first game since the overthrow of Colonel Muammar Gaddafi with a 1-0 win over Mozambique in neighbouring Egypt to put them in with a great chance of qualifying for next year’s African Nations Cup, being held in Equatorial Guinea and Gabon.
The win triggered celebrations from joyous Libyans in Tripoli’s main square after a winner in the 30th minute from Rabie el-Lafi, who fired an effort into the corner of the net to put them top of their group.
Libya will now hope that Zambia lose their match in hand against the Comoros, or that they win when the two sides meet next month, as the team who finish top of the group are guaranteed to qualify for the African Nations Cup next year.
Mourad Mounir wore a pendant of the rebels and said after the game that “it was special in every way, a victory for the martyrs, not just a soccer game.”
The team wore the rebel colours, and crowds had gathered in Martyr’s Square in Tripoli to watch the game, bringing together people, some of whom were enjoying freedom for the first time in decades.
Combined with the end of the Muslim festival of Ramadan, it all added up to a momentous evening for Libyans.
One rebel, Salah al-Sweihly, said: “Before anything to do with football involved al-Saadi, Mohammed and Moammar – they controlled everything.
“Now we are free from the Gaddafis.”
On another night of jubilation in Tripoli, the result was as much about this as it was qualification for the African Nations Cup finals next year.
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