CAF CL: Al-Hilal, MC Alger face sanctions after chaos in Kigali

The Confederation of African Football (CAF) is expected to open a disciplinary case regarding the incident that followed the CAF Champions League group stage match between Al Hilal SC and MC Alger at Amahoro Stadium, Kigali, on Friday, November 21. The match was marred by moments of chaos and tensions as players and staff from both sides clashed on the pitch at fulltime after Al Hilal SC beat MC Alger 2-1 to claim their first three points in the group stage this season. The incidents erupted immediately after the final whistle when several MC Alger players engaged in heated altercations with Al-Hilal players. The situation quickly escalated into physical confrontations, requiring the intervention of security personnel and administrative staff to contain it. A water bottle thrown towards the MC Alger dugout was a direct cause of the dispute, exacerbating tensions and prompting some players to pursue Al Hilal’s Jean Claude Girumugisha. MC Alger players and staff chased the Burundian winger, surrounded him, and tried to attack him, an act which is deemed unacceptable. “We are doing the investigation about the incident and see what we can do. Football is competitiveness but also fair play so we can’t agree on fighting or other bad behaviors,” a source at CAF told Times Sport. CAF is already looking into referees’ report and could potentially hand heavy financial fines to both clubs, in addition to disciplinary sanctions that could include suspensions for players found to be involved in assaults or unsportsmanlike conduct. MC Alger is already in CAF’s crosshairs, having got in trouble earlier this year over clashes with Orlando Pirates. They were previously hammered with two matches behind closed doors and a $100,000 (Rwf145 million) over unsportsmanlike behavior.

Sports

CAF CL: Al-Hilal, MC Alger face sanctions after chaos in Kigali