September 04, (THEWILL) — Angola’s World Cup qualification campaign ended in disappointment at Estádio 11 de Novembro on Thursday evening, following a 0-1 defeat to Libya. The result eliminated the hosts from contention for the 2026 FIFA World Cup, with their maximum possible points total of 13 proving insufficient for qualification from Group C.
Libya striker, Ezoo El Mariamy, scored the decisive goal three minutes into the second half, converting a header from Ali Salama’s cross. The Al Hilal Benghazi forward timed his run perfectly to beat his marker and direct the ball into the net, giving Aliou Cissé’s side a crucial advantage in their own qualification battle.
Angola responded by introducing attacking substitutes including Maestro, Zini, and M’Bala Nzola in an attempt to salvage the match. Red Star Belgrade winger Milson came close to equalising in the 61st minute, forcing Libya goalkeeper Al Woheshi into a sharp diving save to his right to deny a powerful low strike.
The hosts’ best chance fell to M’Bala Nzola, whose 74th-minute effort struck the upright before being cleared by Libya’s defence. This marked the second time during the match that Angola had been denied by the woodwork, underlining their struggles in front of goal throughout the qualification campaign.
Libya’s victory was nearly overshadowed by an injury to goalkeeper Al Woheshi, who was forced to leave the field after his earlier save against Nzola. Young keeper Ayman Suleiman Al Tihar replaced him for the remaining minutes, helping his team maintain their clean sheet and keep their World Cup hopes alive. Libya now sit third in Group C, five points behind leaders Cape Verde.
Jude Obafemi is a versatile senior Correspondent at THEWILL Newspapers, excelling in sourcing, researching, and delivering sports news stories for both print and digital publications.
