Ex-West Brom star involved in emergency landing as international break drama unfolds
Ryan Mason faced an overhaul of the West Brom squad in the summer transfer window.
Nine new players joined West Brom, with Shilen Patel spearheading the charge to lead West Brom back to the Premier League for the first time since 2020-21.
West Brom are predicted to finish fifth, yet they currently sit seventh after going on a run of one win in their last five Championship matches.
Following West Brom’s 3-0 defeat to Millwall, the international break comes at the perfect time for Mason, who can reset and go again when his players return from their commitments.
However, it was a former West Brom player who was caught up in an emergency whilst out on international duty.
Semi Ajayi involved in emergency plane landing with Nigeria squad
Semi Ajayi left West Brom to join Hull in July on a free transfer after enjoying six seasons at The Hawthorns.
Having joined from Rotherham in 2019, Ajayi instantly helped the Baggies to Premier League promotion and was an integral part of the team throughout his stint at B71.
However, it has emerged that he was recently involved in a scary moment with his Nigerian teammates.
| Season | Appearances |
| 2019-20 | 45 |
| 2020-21 | 34 |
| 2021-22 | 31 |
| 2022-23 | 25 |
| 2023-24 | 27 |
| 2024-25 | 15 |
The Nigerian team had to make an emergency landing whilst flying over Angola after the plane’s windscreen cracked mid-flight.
Nigeria had just beaten Lesotho 2-1, and were flying back home ahead of their crucial World Cup qualifier against Benin.
No injuries were reported, yet this marks the second time Nigeria have been disrupted by travel after being stranded at an airport in Libya in October without food or water.
Ajayi’s breakthrough in the Nigeria squad came during his time at West Brom, and he now has the chance to play in his first World Cup.
Semi Ajayi’s performances at West Brom paved the way for his Nigeria career
Ajayi earned his first senior call-up whilst he was still at Rotherham, yet his performances in 2019-2020 have earned him regular caps ever since.
The 31-year-old has collected 43 caps for his country, scoring his only international goal in the 1-1 draw to Lesotho in November 2023.
With Nigeria needing to beat Benin and then to rely on other results, Ajayi and his teammates have a huge task on their hands if they want to qualify for the 2026 World Cup.
Despite what happened on Sunday, Ajayi will be looking to fulfil his dream of appearing in football’s greatest competition.
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