Olympic Safi head coach Chakri El Khatoui expressed disappointment after his team’s elimination from the CAF Confederation Cup, saying that pre-match disruptions and conditions during the game had a clear impact on his players’ focus and performance.
Speaking after the match, El Khatoui said the game was not played under normal circumstances, citing multiple changes to the kickoff time. He explained that the match was initially scheduled for 8 p.m. before being postponed to 9:30 p.m., forcing the technical staff to conduct warm-ups three separate times, which he said negatively affected both physical readiness and mental concentration.
The coach also criticized the refereeing performance, saying it fell short of expectations at this level of continental competition. He argued that such situations do not contribute to the development of football in Africa. He added that his team missed several clear scoring opportunities before a penalty decision went against them, noting that they were still capable of coming back into the match during certain phases of play.
His comments came after a tense encounter that was marked by pre-match disturbances, including supporters of USM Alger briefly entering the pitch at Stade Al Massira, which caused confusion and delayed kickoff, adding to the controversy surrounding the fixture.
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