AFCON 2025
The Confederation of African Football (CAF) has rejected Rangers International’s request to play Friday’s CAF Champions League return leg against MC Alger behind closed doors.
The Disciplinary Board announced its decision from Cairo on Thursday, and the match in Algiers will go ahead with fans of both sides in the stadium.
Rangers asked for the measure after their 2-0 first-leg win in Abeokuta on Sunday. Goals from Kenneth Igboke and Jame Eno secured victory for the Nigerian champions, who played most of the game with 10 men after a 13th-minute red card. MC Alger also finished with 10 after a dismissal in the 52nd minute.
The trouble came with the crowd. Rangers accused the visiting supporters of breaking down entrance gate of the MKO Abiola Stadium entering without paying and vandalising seats during and after the match. According to reports, some fans stormed the tunnel looking for MC Alger coach Khaled Ben Yahia after the defeat.
The Enugu club filed a petition with CAF’s Interclubs Competitions Organising Committee and Disciplinary Board. They asked for a closed-door return leg and for security guarantees for their travelling delegation. “We have confidence in the established processes of CAF and await its response,” the club said.
The three-member board ruled against that request. Chairperson Ousmane Kane of Senegal, Jane Njeri Onyang’o of Kenya and Patrick Shale of Lesotho decided that the Algiers fixture will not be played in an empty stadium.
CAF did not dismiss Rangers’ complaint outright, though. The board also said it will open disciplinary proceedings over the incidents reported during the first leg. MC Alger have disputed the allegations and raised their own complaints about the officiating.
That leaves the Flying Antelopes with a hostile task on Friday. They carry a two-goal lead into Algiers against the Algerian champions, who beat ASN Nigelec 5-0 on aggregate in the previous round. The winner of the tie reaches the group stage.
The first-leg disciplinary case could still bring sanctions for the Algerian side won’t change the setting of the return leg.
