Plane carrying Premier League stars in emergency landing after windscreen cracks

A plane carrying the Nigeria football team was reportedly forced to make an emergency landing after its windscreen cracked during the flight. The aircraft was carrying five Premier League stars at the time, with the players returning to Nigeria following a clash with Lesotho

A plane ferrying the Nigeria football team, including five Premier League stars, was reportedly forced to make an emergency landing after its windscreen cracked mid-flight. The players were en route back to Nigeria following a match against Lesotho.

On Friday, Nigeria faced off against Lesotho in a World Cup qualifier in South Africa, with the Super Eagles clinching a 2-1 win. Goals from William Troost-Ekong and Akor Adams put the visitors ahead before Hlompho Kalake netted one for Lesotho.

This result positions Nigeria third in Group C of the CAF World Cup qualifiers table, trailing leaders Benin by three points and South Africa by one point.

As reported by the Daily Mail, the Nigerian squad boarded a chartered ValueJet Airline aircraft post their triumph over Lesotho, heading to Uyo where they are scheduled to play Benin in another World Cup qualifier on Tuesday. However, the pilots had to execute an emergency landing just 25 minutes into the flight.

The Nigerian Football Federation (NFF) verified that the plane’s windscreen sustained a “heavy crack” whilst airborne, leading to a landing in Luanda, Angola’s capital, for standard refuelling, reports the Express.

“The @NGSuperEagles have finally arrived Uyo after a delay in Luanda, Angola, due to issues with the aircraft conveying them back home after the win over Lesotho,” the NFF updated on X (formerly Twitter) on Sunday morning.

Nigeria’s team features Fulham trio Alex Iwobi, Calvin Bassey and Samuel Chukwueze, along with Brentford’s star Frank Onyeka and Wolves’ ace Tolu Arokodare.

Former Everton, Fulham and Leicester forward Ademola Lookman, who currently plays for Atalanta, is also part of the Nigerian squad, as is Besiktas midfielder Wilfred Ndidi, a key player at Leicester for eight-and-a-half years and instrumental in their FA Cup victory in 2021.

Victor Osimhen, who has been rumoured for a move to the Premier League in recent seasons, is also included in the Nigeria squad and led the attack against Lesotho.

Nigeria didn’t qualify for a World Cup until they made it to the 1994 tournament in the USA, where they advanced to the round of 16.

They reached the same stage in France four years later, but were eliminated in the group stages in South Korea and Japan in 2002.

The country also participated in the 2010, 2014 and 2018 World Cups and made it to the last 16 once more in Brazil 11 years ago. However, they missed out on the tournament in Qatar in 2022, losing to Ghana on away goals after a two-legged play-off match in the final round of qualifying.