Nigeria coach Peseiro slams referee for 'big mistake' against Algeria: 'It was not possible to be offside!'

• Peseiro gutted to lose to Algeria
• Maintains Super Eagles played well despite defeat
• Hits out at the referee for disallowed effort

WHAT HAPPENED? The Super Eagles played two friendly matches over the September Fifa international break. First they came up against Algeria B in a test match and secured a 2-2 draw.

In the second friendly, Nigeria went down to the Atlas Lions at Miloud Hadefi Olympic Complex. Despite Terem Moffi giving them an early lead, Algeria scored through Riyad Mahrez and Youcef Atal to carry the day.

WHAT DID PESEIRO SAY? Ademola Lookman thought he had doubled the Super Eagles lead in the 24th minute but his effort was flagged out for offside.

The decision has left the 62-year-old Portuguese coach hitting out at the match officials. He told NFF TV after the game: "Everybody can make mistakes but the first mistake and big mistake was our second goal, we scored for 2-0, a very clear goal and the referee said it was offside, it was not possible to be offside."

On Nigeria's overall display, he said: "We showed our qualities and our collective job, I think we could have beaten Algeria, of course it was a hard match and because Algeria is a good team but my players tried to do what we asked them, what we do in the practice.

"I am very sad because we lost, I don't like to lose matches, any match but I am happy with the job my players did, they played to the maximum and I would have liked to put everybody in the field like the test match against Algeria B but I could not because the rules don't allow that."

THE BIGGER PICTURE: In the absence of injured forwards Victor Osimhen and Umar Sadiq, the 23-year-old Moffi, who plays for Ligue 1 club Lorient, stepped in well and should have scored a hat-trick had he converted the chances that came his way.

WHAT NEXT FOR PESEIRO? Nigeria will next face Portugal in a friendly at Estadio Jose Alvalade on November 17.