Balogun blasts Algerian fans

Super Eagles stand-in captain, Leon Balogun, has berated Algerian fans for booing Islam Slimani, Riyad Mahrez and others during Friday’s clash with Nigeria in the final 2018 FIFA World Cup qualifier at the Stade Chahid Hamlaou, Constantine.

Algeria played under new coach Rabah Madjer for the first time in the qualifiers, but finished last on the Group B table with two points after failing to win a single game.

Les Fennecs fans booed their stars who performed below par during the dead rubber game; with perhaps the exception of captain Yacine Brahimi, who scored the leveller from the penalty spot.

During the post-match conference, Balogun addressed the home fans’ lack of support for the team and argued it contrasted the solidarity shown by the Nigerian fans in the stand, a point he reiterated in a chat with the Super Eagles official media.

The FSV Mainz defender, stressed that the support of the Super Eagles fans had been key to the team’s success through the qualifying campaign.

”I spoke to the press after the game and I said that I didn’t like the way the Algerian supporters booed their own team.

”At the end we’re just human beings, there can be times where we perform well and there can be times where we perform bad.

“I think it has been key to our competition that we always had our fans behind us and that is something great,” Balogun who played for Nigeria with a mask for the first time stated.