By Andrew Warshaw
November 25 – Burkina Faso, whose dream of a first ever appearance in the World Cup finals was dashed by an away goals playoff defeat by Algeria, say their opponents fielded an ineligible player in last week’s decisive second leg and have taken their complaint to FIFA.
This year’s Africa Cup of Nations runners-up say Algerian defender Madjid Bougherra should have been suspended for having received two yellow cards in earlier games. Bougherra scored the only goal in Algeria’s 1-0 win that saw them qualify for Brazil.
According to FBF president Sita Sangare, Bougherra picked up a yellow card during the group stage of qualifying against Mali and also went into the book during Burkina Faso’s 3-2 playoff first leg win, which should have ruled him out of the second leg.
But the teamsheets on FIFA’s website do not show a yellow card for Bougherra in the first leg of the playoff and nor apparently does FIFA’s official match report. Zambian referee Janny Sikazwe, who was in charge of the first leg, told the BBC the report is correct.
Burkina Faso want FIFA to quash the original result and award them the match, sending them and not Algeria through to Brazil.
The dispute is the latest saga to hit the African qualifying campaign which was marked by several matches overturned by FIFA for nations using ineligible players. Cape Verde were denied a place in the final round of play-offs when FIFA ruled they broke the rules in their final group stage win over Tunisia.
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