Libyan football is once again under fire after a highly anticipated derby match between Al-Ahli Tripoli and Al-Ittihad spiralled into chaos on Wednesday evening, forcing an early end to the game and leaving a trail of violence and destruction in its wake.

What was meant to be a showcase of local rivalry quickly turned into a disaster.

The match, part of Libya’s national championship, took a dark turn in the 38th minute when Moroccan midfielder Nawfel Zerhouni curled in a beautiful free-kick to give Al-Ittihad the lead. But the celebrations were short-lived. Tensions flared, players clashed, and a full-blown melee broke out on the pitch.

Things only got worse from there.

Despite being officially designated a behind-closed-doors fixture, fans from both clubs found their way into the stadium and took over the stands. Fights erupted, and the terraces turned into battlegrounds. The referee had no choice but to abandon the match.

The violence didn’t stop at the stadium gates.

Reports suggest that live ammunition was fired at Al-Ahli supporters, and the Al-Ittihad team bus was set ablaze in the aftermath. Shocking scenes like these are a grim reminder of how unchecked football passion can spiral into outright mayhem.

Both clubs reacted swiftly with official statements condemning the violence. Al-Ahli Tripoli and Al-Ittihad called for calm and restraint, stressing the importance of upholding the values of sport. They also urged authorities to launch a full investigation to uncover those behind the violence and ensure accountability.

This disturbing episode comes on the heels of previous controversies involving Libya’s football scene, including the troubled AFCON qualifier against Nigeria and riots during the Libya–Benin Republic match. It raises fresh concerns over the safety and stability of football in the country.

Libyan football is at a crossroads. Whether this serves as a wake-up call or just another chapter in a worrying trend remains to be seen.

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A simple photo between kids and a professional footballer has spiralled into controversy in Argentina, after Newell’s Old Boys sanctioned youth players for posing with Rosario Central’s Ignacio Malcorra, a move seen as a shocking escalation of the city’s fierce football rivalry.

Newell’s, the Rosario club that once nurtured a young Lionel Messi, suspended the academy players from training and revoked their scholarships for three months after discovering their photo with Malcorra, who has played for bitter rivals Rosario Central during five seasons.

The decision, which club officials framed as a protective measure following reported fan threats, has drawn strong criticism from both the public and prominent figures, while Malcorra himself expressed his dismay at the row.

“I feel sad for them. Children are innocent and don’t know much about what they’re doing,” Malcorra told reporters on Friday, recounting the chance encounter at a youth tournament three months ago.

“They just wanted to take a photo with a top flight player, like any child would.”

As the photo went viral on social media only recently, club officials said earlier this week the matter had been dealt with internally, while some ultra-supporters had reportedly demanded the children to be expelled.

Argentina head coach Lionel Scaloni also condemned the sanctions.

“If you dream of playing in the First Division one day, it doesn’t matter who you play with,” he told reporters before Thursday’s match against Chile.

National Security Minister Patricia Bullrich on Friday called the sanctions “disgraceful” on social media, suggesting the club had bowed to pressure from hardline supporters.

The football rivalry, also known as the Rosario derby, reflects the deep footballing identity of the industrial port of Rosario – a city that produced eight-time Ballon d’Or winner Messi through Newell’s and recently welcomed Argentina talisman Angel Di Maria back to Central.

Newell’s said the affected children “continue to be members of the club” and that directors would meet with parents next week “to continue listening to them, supporting them, and taking appropriate action.”

-Reuters

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In the week of a World Cup qualifying match with Nigeria, Rwanda, the Group C leaders are embroiled in a match-fixing scandal in their domestic league.

A tape surfaced this Monday in which an assistant coach of one of the premier league clubs, Muhazi United who is hoping to cross at the close of the season to go the Kiyovu next season as the head coach.

But the club, the assistant coach, Jean Baptiste Mugiraneza,  hopes to join, is struggling in relegation waters. He therefore opted to find means to avoid the club from dropping so he could coach the side in the lead league.  

His current club, Muhazi United have commenced investigations.  According to local reports,

Mugiraneza was an assistant coach at Musanze FC when they finished third in the 2023/24 Rwanda Premier League season before he left for Muhazi United as assistant coach to Emmanuel Ruremesha.

In a leaked recording that surfaced on Monday, the coach is heard saying that he has agreed a deal to coach Kiyovu next season.

With Kiyovu struggling for relegation, Mugiraneza is heard in the recording asking Musanze FC defender Shafiq Bakaki ‘for a favour’ to let Kiyovu beat his team when the two teams met over the weekend.

The win would have got the Green Baggies out of the relegation zone. In return, Miggy promised to take the player with him to the club in return.

However, the player turned down the offer, explaining that it was against his Islamic principles at this time of Ramadan and he was observing “Swaum”.

Musanze went on to win 3-0 with Bakaki scoring the second goal of the game.

The match fixing scandal comes two months after Bakaki was suspended by the club in January over “unprofessional” behaviour during their shattering 3-0 defeat to Vision in Rwanda Premier League.

In an interview with Times Sport, Musanze FC president Placide Tuyishime emphasized that the whole team had known Mugiraneza’s unfortunate plan because he was with the player during the phone call and his plot failed as a result.

“We were with the player when he (Mugiraneza) called him. So we knew about this even before the game took place,” Tuyishime told Times Sport.

While match-fixing results in hefty penalties including a lengthy ban from football activities once found guilty, Tuyishime said it is in hands of the local football governing body (Ferwafa) to decide what to do about the matter.

“I have nothing to say about him, all we had to do is to tell the media what he was trying to do. The FA can follow up on the case if they wish but it isn’t doing any good to the image of our league. It’s so unprofessional,” Tuyishime stated.

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