An Algeria international needed only seven minutes on the pitch to take the Man of the Match award, beating both Riyad Mahrez and Adel “Zidane” despite their bigger role in the game.
The award was confirmed after the final whistle, in a decision that surprised many observers given that the player featured for a very short spell. Still, his impact in that brief appearance proved enough to swing the vote in his favour.
Mahrez, one of Algeria’s most high-profile stars, had been among the main names expected to collect the prize, especially after his influence over the course of the match. Zidane was also in the running, following a performance that drew attention over the full contest.
But the decisive moment came late, when the eventual winner was introduced and made an immediate difference in just seven minutes, doing enough to edge out his teammates for the individual honour.
The distribution of the Man of the Match award, with the winner playing only seven minutes, was the key detail revealed after the game and became the main talking point that followed.
