Videos of the match, which was halted at the 78th minute with the score tied at 1-1, spread widely on social media. It seemed as though the players were pretending to be dead to avoid the bees. After a brief pause, the match resumed, with City FC Abuja scoring the winning goal in the final minutes, according to a British newspaper that confirmed the safety of all those present in the stadium.
Social media users expressed their amazement at the incident, with one describing the players’ action of lying on the ground as a “smart move,” hoping that no one was injured. Another humorously commented, “It’s very funny.”
This is not the first time bees have disrupted a sporting event. A similar incident occurred during the Indian Wells tennis tournament quarterfinals in 2024, where players Carlos Alcaraz and Alexander Zverev fled the court to avoid the bees.
