Algeria has announced plans to formally petition the Confederation of African Football (CAF) over what they describe as “poor and biased officiating” in their 2–0 Africa Cup of Nations quarter-final defeat to Nigeria, a match already laced with controversy on and off the pitch.
The Algerian Football Federation (FAF) said it will submit detailed reports accusing Senegalese referee Issa Sy of denying them a clear penalty, making a series of questionable decisions and allegedly favouring Nigeria throughout the encounter in Marrakesh. The federation also claims the official failed to shake hands with Algerian players at full time, while accusing Nigerian players of provocation after the final whistle.
Tempers flared immediately after the match, with Algeria captain Aïssa Mandi expressing open frustration at the officiating. “Nigeria didn’t need the refereeing to perform,” he said. “It’s a bit of a shame.”
Algeria’s complaints extend beyond decisions on the pitch. According to the FAF, Algerian journalists and media professionals were allegedly attacked in the stadium tunnel following the game, an incident that is also expected to form part of the submission to CAF.
As a result, Algeria will ask the continental governing body to ban Issa Sy and remove him from the tournament with immediate effect. CAF is now expected to review the reports and any accompanying evidence before deciding on the next steps.
Despite the strong institutional reaction, Algeria head coach Vladimir Petković struck a more measured tone, conceding that Nigeria were the superior side on the night. “Congratulations to Nigeria, they were better than us,” Petković said. “In the first half we were too scattered; in the second half it was a bit better.
“We were missing several things. They didn’t let us dribble. Some refereeing decisions weren’t easy, but our opponent was particularly strong and showed their quality. I don’t want to comment on the referee’s match because it’s pointless, but if you watch what happened in the first half, you’ll understand.”
Nigeria’s victory, however, has come at a cost. First-choice goalkeeper Stanley Nwabali will miss the semi-final after accumulating yellow cards in his last two matches, while midfielder Wilfred Ndidi is also suspended for the next game.
Attention now turns to the semi-finals, where Nigeria will face hosts Morocco. Speaking ahead of the clash, Algeria assistant coach Eric Chelle offered a respectful assessment of the Atlas Lions. “Morocco, it’s a big team,” he said. “It’s not easy to be the host country because there’s a lot of pressure, but there’s a lot of work behind it. Their coach is very good and they have good players. All I hope is that we will witness a great match. The best will win.”
