Issa Mandi, the Algerian defender, expressed his disappointment at the early exit from the 2023 Africa Cup of Nations in Ivory Coast.
Algeria bid farewell to the tournament after a 0-1 defeat against Mauritania in the final match of the group stage, finishing last in Group D with two points.
A draw would have sufficed for them to advance to the Round of 16.
Speaking to reporters, Mandi stated, “We feel disappointment, just like our people, due to this early elimination that we did not expect.”
He added, “Refereeing mistakes affected us, and the officials did not make the right decisions, but we take full responsibility.”
“We prepared well since December to go far in this continental event, and all conditions were favorable.
Unfortunately, things didn’t work out,” Mandi continued.
“I don’t know the reason for this failure.
We tried hard to score in three matches, gave our all, but unfortunately, we didn’t qualify for the Round of 16.”
The Villarreal defender continued, “We cannot talk about the reasons for our elimination now.
It’s not the time for that.”
He concluded, “What happened was beyond our control.
We will try to adjust things and fix what can be fixed for a better future.”
Algeria’s national team, led by coach Djamel Belmadi, has faced continuous setbacks since winning the Africa Cup of Nations in 2019.
The latest defeat against Mauritania marks their sixth consecutive match in the tournament without a win.
Mauritania, on the other hand, pulled off a significant upset, securing their place in the Round of 16 and eliminating Algeria, the titleholders from 2019.
They are set to face Cape Verde in the knockout stage.
