AFCON 2021: Algeria coach, Belmadi criticizes Mahrez, others after elimination from tournament


Algeria coach, Djamel Belmadi has criticized his players, including captain Riyad Mahrez following his side’s 2021 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) defeat to Ivory Coast on Thursday.

Belmadi said Algeria players did not manage to materialize their chances against Ivory Coast, adding that their outing at the 2021 AFCON was simply a failure.

Ivory Coast eliminated Algeria out of the 2021 AFCON in Cameroon with goals from Franck Kessie, Ibrahim Sangare and Nicolas Pepe as Mahrez missed a penalty during the encounter.

Ivory Coast’s victory means Algeria are now out of the 2021 AFCON, while Patrice Beaumelle’s men top Group E with 7 points.

Reacting, Belmadi was quoted by CAF Online as saying at his post-match press conference: “It is simply a failure, difficult to make a rational analysis on the spot.

“We were keen to catch up on this match after a difficult start but the big problem, we did not manage to materialize our chances and even the penalties did not enter, doubt set in, we never managed to enter this competition”.

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