Algeria defender Mandi rejects referee blame, insists Super Eagles have ‘great players’

Algeria centre-back Aïssa Mandi has dismissed claims that officiating influenced his side’s exit from the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations, insisting Nigeria were simply the better team in their quarter-final clash.

The Desert Warriors were beaten 2-0 by the Super Eagles, with second-half goals from Victor Osimhen and Akor Adams sealing Nigeria’s place in the semifinals.

Referee criticism dismissed

The match sparked debate among Algerian supporters and analysts, particularly over the performance of Senegalese referee Issa Sy.

Algeria received five yellow cards within the first 75 minutes, while Nigeria saw Wilfred Ndidi booked as the only Super Eagles player during that period.

Mandi, however, played down the controversy and refused to attribute the loss to refereeing decisions.

“The Nigerian team doesn’t need this,” Mandi told reporters in the mixed zone. “They have a strong team with great maturity. They have great players, and that’s why they don’t need refereeing decisions to put in a good performance.”

Praise for the Super Eagles

The Lille defender acknowledged Nigeria’s quality and consistency, noting that their performance was in line with what they have shown throughout the tournament.

“They’ve shown that since the start of the Africa Cup of Nations,” Mandi added, suggesting that Algeria were beaten by a side operating at a higher level on the day.

Key incidents and what’s next

The game was not without controversy, as Nigeria defender Calvin Bassey appeared to see a first-half effort cross the line before Ramy Bensebaini cleared it, reigniting calls for the introduction of goal-line technology at future AFCON tournaments.

Nigeria will now face tournament hosts Morocco in the semifinals on Wednesday, January 14, with a place in the AFCON final at stake, while Algeria’s campaign comes to an end at the quarter-final stage.