BOUAKÉ, Ivory Coast — The Algerian Football Federation (FAF) has lodged a formal complaint with the Confederation of African Football (CAF) over what it describes as refereeing “imperfections” during their recent match against Burkina Faso’s Stallions at the Bouaké Peace Stadium.

According to the Burkina Information Agency, the FAF issued a press release, a copy of which was obtained by Agence d’Information du Burkina (AIB), expressing its dissatisfaction with the refereeing. While acknowledging the efforts to enhance the organization of the continental event, the FAF highlighted concerns over the appointment of the same Video Assistant Referee (VAR) who was present in their first match. The FAF questioned the appropriateness of this decision, especially as certain contentious actions, including fouls committed on Algerian players at the 10th and 57th minutes, were reportedly overlooked by the VAR referees.

The complaint by the FAF is grounded on specific incidents that they believe warrant a response from the responsible referees. Through this action, the Algerian Football Federation seeks intervention to ensure that future refereeing matches the high standards expected of such a prestigious continental competition.

The match between Algeria’s Fennecs and Burkina Faso’s Etalons, which was part of the second day of group D matches, ended in a 2-2 draw. The rivalry between Algeria and Burkina Faso has grown over the years, often marked by disputes. Notably, during the 2014 World Cup qualifiers in 2013, Burkina Faso had also filed a complaint with FIFA, feeling aggrieved over its World Cup qualification, which ultimately did not lead to a favorable outcome.