Algeria head coach Vladimir Petkovic insisted there was no single reason behind his side’s defeat to Nigeria, after the friendly ended with Algeria on the losing side.
Speaking after the match, Petkovic rejected the idea that the result came down only to refereeing decisions, stressing that Nigeria also had an edge on the night.
“We can’t put everything on the referee. Nigeria had its superiority in some moments, and we also made mistakes that cost us,” Petkovic said in his post-match comments.
The coach pointed out that his team did not take advantage of key phases during the game, and that small details made the difference in the final outcome.
Petkovic added that Algeria are still in a period of work and adjustment, and that matches like this are important to learn from, especially against strong opponents such as Nigeria.
He also made it clear that the focus now is on fixing the issues shown in the defeat, rather than looking for excuses, as the team continues preparing for the competitions ahead.
