Algeria defender Riyad Mahrez says Nigeria deserved victory in Saturday’s quarter-final encounter.
Vladimir Petković’s side lost 2-0 to the Super Eagles at the Grande Stade de Marrakech.
The Desert Foxes were expected to give the Super Eagles a run for their money, but were totally outplayed by the West Africans.
Algeria also failed to manage a shot on target in the game.
Mahrez accepted Nigeria’s superiority after the game.
“It is football, and we played a great team,” Mahrez told reporters.
“You could see it clearly – they were better than us. Even though some players were missing, in hindsight, maybe things could have been different if we had played with an extra defender.”
Mahrez praised his teammates for putting up a good fight in the game.
“You always talk about changes after games,” he added.
“But the players gave everything from the start of the tournament, both young and old. That’s football.”
