Libya: Another footballing fairy tale

By Peter Auf der Heyde Jan 20, 2012, 17:02 GMT

Libreville, Gabon - Ever so often, football springs up a fairytale that grabs the world's attention and has most fans rooting for the underdogs.

In 2006 you had the Palancas Negras, who overcame the turmoil of the Angolan civil war to qualify for the 2006 World Cup, while Iraq made it to the semi-finals of the 2004 Olympic Games and won the 2007 Asian Cup at the height of the US-led invasion of that country.

This time around, it is the Libyan national team that has been given fairytale status as the team has made it to the finals of the showpiece of African football for the third time in their history.

At the January 21 - February 12 finals Libya will face co-hosts Equatorial Guinea, as well as Zambia and Ivory Coast in group A.

What makes Libya's qualification for the tournament even more remarkable is that not only did they have to overcome the civil war at home, they had to play two of their three home games on neutral ground.

They beat Comoros in Mali's capital Bamako and then secured a victory against Mozambique in Cairo to clinch one of the places reserved for the two best runners-up.

Coach Marcos Paqueta, who won the under-17 and under 20-World Cups with his native Brazil in 2003, said at a press conference on Friday that participation in the tournament was important for the country.

'Last year was a difficult one for all Libyans and we had to honour some of our matches away from home. Participation at the tournament means a lot to the players and all Libyans.

'It presents a perfect opportunity to bring back joy and heal the wounds of Libyans after all the troubles.'

Paqueta, who coached Saudi Arabia at the 2006 World Cup, has a squad consisting mainly of locally-based players, with Serbian-based midfielder Mohammed Monir and Braga's Djamal Mahamat the only players who play outside of Africa and the Middle East.

The coach knows the importance of their opening match against Equatorial Guinea for their chances of staying the competition.

'The first game in every competition is key to qualification to the next round,' he said.

'If you win, you are on course and it takes some pressure off you for the remaining games.

'It will be a difficult game playing against the host team. They are playing at home and everybody will be rooting for them.'

He admits to knowing little about his opponents apart from their having a new coach and 'some players of Brazilian background in their squad.'

One former Libyan national team captain who will not be in Equatorial Guinea/Gabon to cheer the team on is Al-Saadi Gaddafi. The son of the murdered dictator Muammar has fled into exile in Niger.

The 38-year-old, who was on the books of three Serie A clubs, but played just two league matches in total, is wanted on an Interpol arrest warrant and would be foolish to leave Niger.

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