This post is part of our special coverage Libya Uprising 2011 [1].
Libya beat Mozambique 1-0 in the African Cup of Nations qualifier, its first victory since the fall of the Muammar Gaddafi regime. Twitter is abuzz with joy as Libyans taste their first win for a free Libya.
Libyan Ibn Omar sums up the sentiment in a tweet saying:
@IbnOmar2005 [2]: GAME OVER! #LIBYA WINS FIRST GAME AS FREE NATION!
During the match, played in Egypt, Ismael Zmirli, who is behind ChangeInLibya, reminds us of the draconian rules imposed on football during Gaddafi's era:
@ChangeInLibya [3]: I can't believe I'm hearing a commentator on Libya TV say the football players’ names – used to be 100% illegal under Gaddafi lol #libya
He also reminds us:
@ChangeInLibya [4]: Most of the Libyan players that defeated Mozambique today were at the front lines fighting against Gaddafi forces only weeks ago #libya
Ibn Omar shares this photograph of a Libyan family watching the game in Tripoli:
@IbnOmar2005 [5]: #Libyan family watches game in #Tripoli. If that was me I might have shot the screen a few times lol yfrog.com/nybqosj
[5]Tripoli family watching match
The win resulted in celebratory gunfire and lots of jubilation across Libya.
Libya-Horra reports:
@libya_Horra [6]: Just called friend in #Tripoli, he said city is upside down with celebrations, all types of celebratory gun fire, ud think fighting returned
Akram, who tweets as flyingbirdies from Tripoli, notes:
@flyingbirdies [7]: we need fireworks now. plz no more gunfire celebration :( #Libya #football
Celebrations were also reported in Benghazi, where Kelvin Brown tweets:
@kelvinbrownnews: Benghazi is going bonkers as Libya wins against Mozambique in the cup of nations football qualifier.
Tristan Redman, a reporter for Al Jazeera English, confirms:
@TristanAJE [8]: Benghazi goes bananas after #libya football team wins in Cairo. Wear a helmet if you're out tonight: lots of falling rounds.
Septimius-sever says [9] that even Gaddafi did not want to miss the party in Tripoli and posted this photograph:
[9]Libyans watch Libya's football victory with Gaddafi
Meanwhile, Shabab Libya, the Twitter account for the Libya Youth Movement, are already plotting for their next victory.
@ShababLibya [10]: Libya must now beat Zambia away next month to book a place in the 2012 African Nations cup #Libya
This post is part of our special coverage Libya Uprising 2011 [1].