USM Alger battles Olympique Safi under difficult conditions​

USM Alger endured a tense and frustrating night in Morocco during their CAF Confederation Cup group match against Olympique Safi, played in conditions far from worthy of a continental competition.

From the opening minutes, the poor stadium lighting was obvious, with large parts of the pitch plunged into semi-darkness, making it hard for players and staff to see clearly and control the ball properly.​

USMA’s players tried to adapt, but the lack of visibility disrupted their passing, positioning and timing of runs. Several of them signaled the problem to the referee early on, yet there was no meaningful response, and television images clearly showed how inadequate the floodlights were for such an important fixture.​

On top of that, the Algerian side felt victim to controversial refereeing throughout the game. They faced a series of whistles for soft or “imaginary” fouls, while some strong challenges from Olympique Safi went unpunished and potential incidents in the Moroccan box were waved away, angering the USMA bench and supporters.​

This combination of poor lighting and disputed decisions heavily influenced the rhythm of the contest and increased the psychological pressure on USM Alger. Having travelled with the clear aim of confirming their good start in the competition, they instead had to fight just to stay focused and competitive in a hostile environment. Whatever the final score, this trip to Safi is likely to leave a bitter taste, as USMA found themselves battling not just their opponents, but also the match conditions themselves.