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Eagles Stranded in Angola after Aircraft’s Cracked Windshield Force Emergency Landing
Eagles Stranded in Angola after Aircraft’s Cracked Windshield Force Emergency Landing
Duro Ikhazuagbe
Super Eagles’ return journey to Nigeria from Polokwane, South Africa after Friday’s 2026 World Cup qualifier against Lesotho has suffered delay after the chartered ValueJet aircraft conveying players and officials to Uyo had a cracked windshield mid-air.
According to the Media Officer of the team, Promise Efoghe, the aircraft took off from Luanda, Angola on Saturday afternoon after routine stop to refuel.
But a few minutes after take-off, the experienced pilot who noticed the cracked windshield, skillfully guided the aircraft back to Luanda, ensuring the safety of all passengers on board.
“The aircraft taking Nigeria’s Super Eagles from Polokwane, South Africa to Uyo, Akwa Ibom State for their final World Cup qualifier has made an emergency landing in Luanda Angola. The Value Jet aircraft had made an initial stop in Luanda to refuel before embarking on the trip to Uyo.
“But twenty-five minutes into the flight, the pilot made a U-turn into Luanda after a heavy crack on the aircraft’s windshield distorted what had started as a smooth flight.
“The players, officials and government delegates onboard have since disembarked the aircraft and await the airline operator’s swift response to the situation,” observed the team’s Media Officer from Luanda Saturday night.
It was the same aircraft that flew part of the Nigerian delegation to Polokwane on Thursday night ahead of Friday’s crucial qualifier against Lesotho without any issue.
The aircraft last month handled Super Eagles previous trips to and from Bloemfontein where Nigeria battled host South Africa to a 1-1 draw.
All the players and officials were stranded in Luanda as at press time Saturday night, while a top National Sports Commission (NSC) source told THISDAY that arrangements were ongoing to fly the delegation straight to Uyo by all means.
The source however did not disclose if a plane from the Presidential fleet or the Nigerian Air Force will be assigned the task of flying the stranded players and officials back to Nigeria.
Both Super Eagles and Benin Republic were due to fly into Uyo Saturday night. While Nigeria defeated Lesotho 2-1 to go third on 14 points, Benin Cheetahs snatched a late 1-0 away victory against Rwanda in Kigali to maintain their leadership of Group C on 17 points.
South Africa, who were held goalless by Zimbabwe in Durban are second on 15 points.
Tuesday‘s last Match-day 10 fixtures will decide the lone direct qualified team for the 2026 World Cup from the Group C, while the runner up slot for the four best second teams of all the nine groups will go for intercontinental playoffs.
Goals by Captain William Ekong (from the penalty spot) and debutant Jerome Akor Adams earned Nigeria the three points at the Peter Mokaba Stadium, and the Super Eagles, 2024 AFCON runners-up, now need a two-goal win over the neighbours to the west (plus South Africa failing to beat Rwanda in Nelspruit on the same day) to bag the only automatic ticket from Group C to North America.
The ambitious Benin Cheetahs, now on 17 points, are coached by Franco-German tactician Gernot Rohr, who qualified and led Nigeria at the 2018 FIFA World Cup finals in Russia.
Meanwhile, Egyptian official Amin Mohamed Omar will be referee for Tuesday’s explosive battle between Nigeria and Benin Republic, with his compatriots Mahmoud Abouelregal, Ahmed Tawfik Ali and Mahmoud Moustafa Elbana in the roles of assistant referee 1, assistant referee 2 and fourth official.
Jason Joseph Damoo from Seychelles will serve as referee assessor; Ghanaian Prosper Harrison Addo will be the commissioner and; Xolile Vilakati from eSwatini will work as security officer.
Duro Ikhazuagbe Super Eagles’ return journey to Nigeria from Polokwane, South Africa after Friday’s 2026 World Cup qualifier against Lesotho has suffered delay after the chartered ValueJet aircraft conveying players
