LIBYAN club Al-Akhdar were baffled when they arrived at their Benghazi stadium for an African Confederations Cup clash with Marumo Gallants afternoon to find no referee, no officials and no opposition.
The group match in the second-tier continental club competition had been postponed by the African Football Confederation (CAF) by four hours because the visitors had a problem with their flight up from South Africa.
Unfortunately, according to Al-Akhdar assistant coach Ahmed Saleh, CAF forgot to inform the home team.
“The match against Marumo was supposed to be at 3 p.m. (1300 GMT) (but) the referees, officials, and the visiting team haven’t arrived,” he posted on Facebook.
“We are on the pitch and now the game has been postponed. Strange continent of Africa.”
When the fixture did finally get underway, Marumo Gallants, who took to the field straight from the airport, went down 4-1 to give Al-Akhdar their first win in five group matches.
Fortunately for the South Africans, Congolese side Saint-Eloi Lupopo were held to a 1-1 draw by Algeria’s USM Alger in Sunday’s other group match, guaranteeing the Gallants a spot in the quarter-finals.
There was no immediate reply to a request for comment from the Marumo Gallants.
