There was tension on Saturday after the aircraft conveying Nigeria’s Super Eagles from South Africa to Uyo made an emergency landing in Angola due to a crack discovered in one of the plane’s windows.
According to reports, the aircraft operated by ValueJet was already midair when the pilot noticed the fault and immediately diverted the flight to Angola for safety checks.
A senior official of the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF), who was among the travelling party, confirmed the incident to SaharaReporters, describing it as “a close call that could have been worse.”
The Super Eagles were returning from South Africa after their crucial 2–1 win over Lesotho in the ongoing FIFA World Cup African qualifiers. They are expected to play their final group game on Tuesday in Uyo, Akwa Ibom, where the race for the sole qualification ticket from Group C is still wide open.
Still in the Race
After Friday’s matches, Benin Republic sits top of the group with 17 points, followed by South Africa with 15 points, while Nigeria is third with 14 points.
The group’s final round of matches will take place on Tuesday, and only one team will qualify automatically for the 2026 World Cup in the USA, Canada, and Mexico.
South Africa missed a chance to seal qualification early after they were held to a goalless draw by Zimbabwe in Durban. Hugo Broos’ men must now beat Rwanda in their final game and hope other results go their way.
Nigeria, on the other hand, kept hope alive after goals from captain William Troost-Ekong (penalty) and Akor Adams helped them to a 2–1 victory over Lesotho in Polokwane.
Benin Republic also did their job, beating Rwanda 1–0 thanks to a late strike from Tosin Aiyegun.
NFF Monitoring Situation
Officials of the NFF say efforts are ongoing to ensure the team gets to Uyo safely and on time for the crucial clash. The emergency landing in Angola, while unfortunate, is not expected to derail the team’s preparation.
“The players are calm and safe,” the NFF source said. “We’re taking all the necessary steps to ensure they arrive in Uyo as soon as possible.”
Nigerians will now be watching closely as the Super Eagles face a must-win situation on Tuesday. A win may be enough, depending on the outcome of other games.
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