Benin captain Steve Mounie has reflected on his team's harrowing experience, involving an assault by opposition fans, in Libya after securing their place at the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations.
This incident comes amidst growing concerns over the treatment of visiting teams in the North African nation.
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The Cheetahs of Benin faced Libya in their final AFCON qualifier at the Tripoli International Stadium, with both sides vying for a spot in Morocco next year.
Libya needed a win to keep their hopes alive, while a draw was enough for Benin to book their ticket.
The match ended in a goalless stalemate, sealing Benin's qualification but leaving the Libyan fans furious.
What followed was chaos as Libyan supporters and security forces allegedly assaulted Benin players and staff.
Reports suggest the visiting team endured violence in the dressing room, with head coach Gernot Rohr said to have been among those injured during the commotion.
What they did to Benin ???? after the match. @CAF_Online should ban Libya https://t.co/MsE0FG8ylv
— UPDATEBOYZ ? (@Updateboyx) November 20, 2024
"The Libyan police took out their batons to beat us," Rohr said per Sahara Reporters, describing the ordeal. "The team and I were held hostage, unable to leave the stadium until late at night."
It has also been suggested that Benin players and officials were nursing their injuries with ice packs. Despite the trauma, captain Mounie praised his team's resilience.
"It wasn't easy. It was really a war zone," Mounie said. "This Libyan team, this country, and its supporters didn't respect us.
"They even whistled during our national anthem. But we made it personal. We wanted to come out of this match with qualification, and we did it with difficulty.
"Benin is at CAN 2025, and we can be proud of what we've achieved with this group of young players."
This incident follows a similar episode last month when Nigeria faced challenges in Libya for their qualifier against the same opponents.
The Super Eagles were stranded at the airport for over 17 hours, prompting their refusal to play.
CAF later awarded Nigeria a 3-0 win and fined Libya for their failure to ensure a safe and conducive environment for the match.
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Benin finished second in Group D, eight points behind group winners Nigeria. Libya, meanwhile, remained at the bottom of the table, missing out on qualification.