Burkina Faso Football: Injury & Referee Controversy

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The meeting between Algeria and Burkina Faso almost changed in the first minutes to a highly contested refereeing decision. After only six minutes of play, Jaouen Hadjam, Algerian full-back, was violently cut down from behind by Gustavo Sangarรฉ. The tackle, dangerous and poorly controlled, caused a worrying twist in the defender’s ankle, raising fears of a serious injury. Despite the apparent seriousness of the gesture, the referee was content to issue a simple yellow card.

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After the VAR, the referee only issues a yellow

Alerted by the VAR, the referee went to review the images. After more than a minute of analysis, he confirmed his initial decision, believing that Sangarรฉ’s foot was on the ground at the time of impact and that the intention did not justify a red card. A choice which gave rise to many misunderstandings, as the tackle seemed dangerous and likely to endanger the physical integrity of the Algerian player.

Hadjam tried to continue the meeting, but the pain got the better of him. Less than two minutes later, he had to leave the pitch, replaced by Baghdad Bounedjah, leading to a tactical change for the Fennecs. Despite this incident, Algeria remained focused and was able to take the advantage thanks to a penalty converted by Riyad Mahrez. But the debate over the absence of a red card will remain one of the highlights of the match.