The Algerian Football Federation stressed the “necessity” of replaying the match in which the Greens were defeated in the last seconds, 2-1, at Chaker Stadium in Blida, Algeria.
In an official statement published on Thursday, the Algerian Federation protested the performance of the ruling, and demanded “a fair arbitration guarantee.” Algeria filed the appeal via e-mail to FIFA, and assigned a foreign lawyer to deposit the original copy and follow up the procedures.
The statement described the referee’s administration, Bakari Gassama, as “scandalous”, considering that he “distorted the match”, and demanded that an investigation be opened against the Gambian referee and the rest of the crew, similar to the two referees supervising the video technology..
The Algerian Football Federation confirmed that it “will resort to all available legal means, to restore its rights, and to rely on evidence through which the match can be replayed.”.
The campaign of the Algerian masses
This step comes at a time when the Algerian fans launched a wide campaign on the social networking site, entitled “We demand a return of the match”, due to what was considered an “injustice” against the Greens by the Gambian referee..
Algerian fans hope that the International Football Association will take a decision representative of the decision taken in 2018, when it was decided to replay the second round of the FIFA World Cup qualifiers between South Africa and Senegal, after referee Joseph Lamptey was proven to be involved in manipulating the outcome of the match..
According to the match video, the Algerian player Issa Mandi was subjected to a clear push by the Cameroonian striker Leander Tawamba to obstruct the Algerian goalkeeper, Rais Mablohi, and prevent him from catching the ball, which led to the Cameroonian player Eric Maxime scoring the first goal in the 22nd minute.
Difficulty rematch
And the former Algerian international player, Said Boutaleb, considered that Cameroon’s first goal “created a kind of tension among the Algerian attackers, especially Youssef Belaili, who wanted to modify the result in all ways, amid great psychological pressure.”
Boutaleb told Sky News Arabia: “The match was not easy for both parties, although the Greens entered the field with a more comfortable spirit in front of a strong opponent,” noting “the difficulty and impossibility of repeating the interview in the absence of conclusive evidence of the referee’s involvement.”.
Boutaleb confirmed that “the referee had difficulty managing the match, given the large number of missed opportunities on both sides in the goalkeeper’s area, which prompted him to return to the assistant referee several times.”.
Sources close to the Algerian Football Association revealed, to “Sky News Arabia”, that “there are serious consultations to bring about a major change in the Federal Office of the Federation, but the departure of Jamal Belmadi is excluded at the present time.”.
The Greens were minutes away from achieving the dream of participating in the Qatar 2022 World Cup, after Ahmed Touba adjusted the result in the 118th minute..
The Greens entered the field more comfortably, and they have a point, after their 1-0 victory over Cameroon in the first leg at Douala Stadium..
The second Cameroonian goal, he fought against goalkeeper Rais Mbolhi in the 124th minute, eliminated Algeria’s dream of reaching the World Cup for the fifth time.
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