MC Alger Condemns Refereeing Decisions and Alleged Harassment During Enugu Rangers Clash

ALGIERS, Algeria – October 19, 2026 – Algerian football club MC Alger has issued a strongly worded statement condemning controversial refereeing decisions and alleged incidents involving its delegation and supporters during the CAF Champions League match against Nigeria’s Enugu Rangers.

The encounter, played at MKO Abiola Stadium in Abeokuta, Nigeria, ended in a 2-0 defeat for the Algerian side in the first leg of the second preliminary round.

The club expressed serious dissatisfaction with several incidents surrounding the match, announcing its determination to defend the rights of its players, officials and supporters.

MC Alger Questions Controversial Refereeing Decisions

In its official statement, MC Alger criticized several decisions made by the match officials, particularly the penalty awarded to Enugu Rangers.

According to the Algerian club, the penalty was unjustified, as no foul had occurred that warranted such a decision.

Another major point of controversy concerned the dismissal of defender Oussama Benhaoua, who received a second yellow card following an incident that MC Alger claimed involved his teammate Ayoub Ghezala.

The club alleged that the decision unfairly deprived the team of one of its players during a crucial continental fixture.

These allegations reflect the club’s position and have not been established as findings by the Confederation of African Football (CAF).

Algerian Delegation Reports Harassment in Nigeria

Beyond the refereeing controversy, MC Alger reported difficulties experienced by members of its delegation during the match.

According to the statement, club representatives faced harassment in the VIP section of MKO Abiola Stadium.

The club also claimed that the cameraman responsible for its official YouTube livestream was repeatedly instructed to change his filming position.

MC Alger described these incidents as unacceptable and raised concerns about the treatment of its delegation.

Club Rejects Stadium Damage Allegations

The Algerian club also strongly denied accusations that its traveling supporters were responsible for damaging stadium seats.

Management insisted that it possessed evidence showing that several seats had already been broken before the match began.

Furthermore, MC Alger criticized the price of match tickets, stating that Algerian supporters had been charged $20 per ticket, an amount the club considered excessive compared with its previous experiences in African competitions.

MC Alger Vows to Defend Its Rights

In response to the controversy, MC Alger announced its commitment to taking appropriate measures to protect the interests of the club and its supporters.

The management also called on fans to maintain good sportsmanship and continue supporting the team.

At the time of the statement, attention was turning toward the return leg at Martyr Ali Ammar Stadium, also known as Ali La Pointe Stadium, in Douera, Algiers.

The Algerian side faced the challenge of overturning a two-goal deficit to secure qualification for the CAF Champions League group stage.