USM Alger head coach Lamine N’Diaye has hailed his players’ composure and mentality after they booked a place in the CAF Confederation Cup final following a dramatic 1-1 draw with Olympic Safi on Sunday.
The semi-final second leg at the El Massira Stadium was overshadowed by chaos even before kick-off, as a pitch invasion delayed the start of the match by around 80 minutes. USM Alger reportedly refused to leave their dressing room until the Confederation of African Football (CAF) guaranteed safety for players and officials.
Despite the disruption, the Algerian side showed resilience once play eventually began.
They took the lead deep into first-half stoppage time after a VAR review awarded a penalty for handball, which Ahmed Khaldi calmly converted.
Olympic Safi responded in the 75th minute through a Moussa Kone header, setting up a tense finish. However, USM Alger held on to progress on the away goals rule after a goalless first leg.
The match also saw extended stoppage time, with 30 minutes added overall due to repeated interruptions, disputes, and injury delays.
After the game, N’Diaye praised his side’s discipline under difficult circumstances.
“The credit goes to the players. It was a real battle, and we managed to get this qualification. It is deserved,” he said.
“The opponent came back to level the score, but we remained balanced. Even with the events surrounding the match, we managed to stay calm.”
He also expressed frustration over the disruption to the flow of the game.
“It’s a shame to see so many stoppages in play, it breaks the rhythm and disrupts the players,” the Senegalese coach added.
