Mouloudia Club of Algiers have criticised the refereeing in their 2-0 defeat by Nigeria’s Enugu Rangers and rejected allegations of misconduct against their supporters following the first leg of their African Champions League preliminary-round tie.
The Algerian club issued a statement on Monday disputing several decisions made during the match and insisting that its travelling fans had not been responsible for the damage reported at the stadium.
The defeat leaves Mouloudia needing to overturn a two-goal deficit in Friday’s return leg at the Ali Ammar Stadium, also known as Ali La Pointe, in Algiers if they are to progress to the next stage.
The first leg was marked by several disciplinary incidents, including the dismissals of Rangers’ goalkeeper, Mouloudia defender Oussama Benhoua and goalkeeping coach Azzedine Doukha. Rangers were also awarded a penalty.
The result has increased pressure on Tunisian coach Khaled Ben Yahia, with some supporters calling for him to leave the club ahead of the decisive second leg.
Mouloudia question key refereeing decisions
In its official statement, published on the club’s Facebook page, Mouloudia expressed dissatisfaction with the officiating and questioned decisions that it believes affected the contest.
The statement read: “Mouloudia Club of Algiers expresses its dissatisfaction with the events that took place during the match against Nigerian club Enugu Rangers, which was played as part of the first leg of the second preliminary round of the African Champions League, and the accompanying refereeing decisions that raised many questions.”
The club specifically challenged the penalty awarded to Rangers and the second yellow card shown to Benhoua, arguing that the decisions were unjustified.
It added: “Especially with regard to the penalty kick that was awarded to the opponent without any foul having occurred that warranted it, in addition to the referee showing a second controversial yellow card to Osama Ben Houa, in a moment in which the foul had been committed by Ayoub Ghazala, as this action was intentional given that Ben Houa already had a first yellow card.”
Mouloudia also reported difficulties experienced by members of their delegation during the trip to Nigeria, including alleged harassment in the VIP section of the stadium in Abeokuta.
The club said its photographer had also faced interference while broadcasting through the team’s official YouTube channel, claiming he was repeatedly forced to change the camera angle.
Club rejects allegations against supporters
Mouloudia strongly defended the fans who travelled to Nigeria after allegations of disorder and damage emerged following the match.
The club insisted it had evidence concerning the broken seats, claiming the damage occurred before the game began.
“The club reiterates its firm rejection of any attempt to tarnish the image of the club and its supporters, especially since the team possesses all the evidence regarding the chairs that were broken before the start of the match.”
The statement also raised concerns about the difficulties supporters faced in obtaining tickets for the fixture, including the cost of admission.
Mouloudia said: “We also note that the supporters of the Dean who traveled to Nigeria found it difficult to obtain tickets, as their price was exorbitant, reaching $20, which is something we have never seen in any of the African stadiums where we played the African Champions League matches.”
The club’s response came after Rangers lodged a complaint with the Confederation of African Football (CAF) concerning the events surrounding the fixture.
Mouloudia said it would take steps to defend the interests of both the team and its supporters.
“The management is committed to making every effort to defend the rights of the team and its supporters in this case, and the events that accompanied it.”
Mouloudia urge fans to support team in return leg
Despite the dispute surrounding the first meeting, Mouloudia’s management called on supporters to maintain their conduct and give the team their backing in Friday’s decisive encounter.
The club said: “Finally, the club’s management calls on its loyal supporters to continue to demonstrate sportsmanship, especially in the return match at the Martyr Ali Ammar Stadium, as they have always done, and to continue to create the most beautiful scenes in the stands, and to support the team by all available means to achieve the desired qualification to the group stage.
Mouloudia must now focus on the challenge ahead as they attempt to overturn the 2-0 deficit and keep their African Champions League campaign alive.
The return fixture will also be important for Ben Yahia, whose position has come under scrutiny following the defeat and growing frustration among sections of the club’s support.
