Swaziland staged a dramatic recovery to upset Libya 2-1 at the Somhlolo stadium near Mbabane in their African Nations Cup Group 9 qualifier on Sunday.

Veteran defender Jerry Gamedze, who had to be persuaded out of international retirement to play, and winger Wonder Nhleko scored in the last nine minutes as Swaziland fought back in a dramatic finale.

Libya's Salah converted a first half penalty in a game preceded by much tension after Libya's arrival in the tiny southern Africa kingdom on Wednesday and persistent complaints about Swaziland's treatment of their players.

The result is a major setback for coach Francesco Scoglio, who had ambitions of helping the Libyan side to a first Nations Cup finals appearance in more than three decades.

Italian Scoglio, who led his team to a win over DR Congo in their first qualifying game last month, had been fired last month after a reported clash with the head of the Libyan football federation, Saad Gaddafi, the son of the Libyan leader Muammar Gaddafi.

Gaddafi junior had been dropped from the team by Scoglio, but the coach was reinstated after a week.