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Algeria defender Riyad Mahrez has said Nigeria deserved their victory in Saturday’s quarter-final encounter against Algeria.
The Super Eagles defeated Algeria 2–0 at the Grande Stade de Marrakech, ending Algeria’s campaign in the tournament.
Algeria, coached by Vladimir Petković, were expected to provide a strong challenge but struggled throughout the match and failed to register a single shot on target.
Speaking after the game, Mahrez told reporters that “it is football, and we played a great team. You could see it clearly – they were better than us.”
The former Manchester City winger added that Algeria’s approach may have contributed to the outcome, suggesting that a different tactical setup could have altered the game.
“Even though some players were missing, in hindsight, maybe things could have been different if we had played with an extra defender,” he said.
Mahrez, however, praised his teammates for their overall effort during the tournament.
“You always talk about changes after games,” he added.
“But the players gave everything from the start of the tournament, both young and old. That’s football.”
Nigeria will now advance to the semi-finals following the win.
