…MC Alger defend fans against stadium vandalism allegations
Algerian giants MC Alger have accused the match officials of biased officiating following their 2-0 defeat to Enugu Rangers in the first leg of their CAF Champions League second preliminary round tie at the MKO Abiola Stadium in Abeokuta on Sunday.
Rangers scored twice late in the encounter to secure a crucial victory and take a two-goal advantage into Saturday night’s return leg in Algiers, with a place in the group stage at stake.
The Nigerian champions, however, played much of the encounter with 10 men after goalkeeper Lucky Jimoh was sent off in the 13th minute before the numbers was made equal in the second half with the sending off of Oussama Benhoua in the second half.
In a statement, MC Alger expressed dissatisfaction with several officiating decisions, particularly the penalty awarded to Rangers for their opening goal and the dismissal of their player, Oussama Benhoua.
More Read
The Algerian club argued that no foul had been committed in the incident leading to the penalty and claimed that Ayoub Ghezala, rather than Benhoua, should have been penalised for the incident that resulted in the latter receiving a second yellow card.
“MC Alger expresses its dissatisfaction regarding the events that took place during Sunday’s match against Nigeria’s Enugu Rangers – the first leg of the second preliminary round of the CAF Champions League,” the statement read.
“The match was marred by officiating decisions that have raised significant questions, most notably the awarding of a penalty kick to the opponent despite no foul having been committed.
“Furthermore, the referee issued a highly controversial second yellow card to Oussama Benhoua for an incident in which the actual foul was committed by Ayoub Ghezala – a decision that appeared deliberate, given that Benhoua was already carrying a yellow card.”
MC Alger also alleged that members of their delegation and their official cameraman were subjected to harassment and intimidation during the encounter.
“The MC Alger delegation also faced repeated harassment in the VIP section of the Abiola Stadium in Abeokuta. A similar situation occurred with the team’s cameraman during a live broadcast on the club’s official YouTube channel; he was forced to change his filming angle on several occasions,” the club added.
The controversy comes after Rangers petitioned the Confederation of Africa Football (CAF) accusing supporters of the visiting team of damaging sections of the MKO Abiola Stadium, an allegation MC Alger strongly denied.
The Algerian side claimed it had evidence that the damaged seats were already broken before the match and also complained about the cost of tickets for its travelling supporters.
“The club categorically rejects any attempt to tarnish its reputation or that of its supporters. We possess clear evidence that the stadium seats in question were already broken before the match began,” the statement continued.
“Additionally, we note that our supporters who travelled to Nigeria encountered significant difficulties in purchasing tickets, as they were priced at an exorbitant $20, a figure we have never encountered at any other African stadium where we have played CAF Champions League matches.”
Despite the grievances, MC Alger urged their supporters to maintain good conduct when Rangers travel to Algeria for the decisive second leg at the Chahid Ali Ammar Stadium.
The club’s management reiterated its commitment to defending the interests of the team and its supporters while calling on fans to create a positive atmosphere and rally behind the players as they seek to overturn the two-goal deficit and secure qualification for the group stage.
With Rangers holding a commanding advantage, Saturday’s return leg is expected to be a high-stakes encounter as both sides battle for a place among Africa’s elite clubs.
© Bold Sports Media. All rights reserved. If sharing, kindly credit Bold Sports as the source and include a link to the original post. Unauthorised use is prohibited.
