WCQ 2022: Gabon overcome Libya despite national team divisions

Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang's Gabon overcame Libya 1-0 despite a dressing room crisis going into their Qatar 2022 World Cup qualifier. 

Aubameyang scored for Pathers after converting a penalty in the 54th minute. 

The atmosphere going into the tie didn't inspire much confidence.

The arrest on Wednesday of representatives of local players including former international Stephane Nguema who were protesting the two-year suspension of the national football league, left the national team camp divided.

On Thursday, midfielder Didier Ndong refused to play against Libya to show solidarity with those arrested.

"You understand why the footballers and the Gabonese population are rising up because we have a local national championship. For our footballers, it is their job, it is important that soccer resumes so that they can live. Today they are just surviving," Remy Ebanega, the president of the Gabonese told Africanews.

The Gabonese football league has been on hold since the pandemic began, fueling frustration.

"Gabon's upcoming fixtures are likely to suffer disruptions including the return match against Egypt Tuesday", said our correspondent Wilfried Obangome from Libreville.