By Kunle Solaja.

Mouloudia Club of Algiers (MCA) have received clearance to admit supporters for Friday’s CAF Champions League return leg against Nigeria’s Enugu Rangers, after the Confederation of African Football (CAF) postponed its ruling on the incidents that marred the first-leg encounter.

Algerian newspaper El Khabar reported that CAF’s Competitions Committee communicated the decision to MCA’s management on Thursday, allowing the Algerian club to proceed with ticket sales for the match scheduled for 8 p.m. local time at Ali Ammar Stadium, popularly known as Ali La Pointe, in Douira.

The decision brings relief to MCA supporters, who had faced the prospect of being barred from the stadium while CAF’s Disciplinary Committee considered a complaint lodged by Rangers over alleged misconduct during the first leg in Abeokuta, Nigeria.

According to El Khabar, CAF had informed MCA on Wednesday that tickets should not be sold until the disciplinary committee reached a decision. However, the continental body subsequently opted to defer its ruling until after Friday’s return fixture, clearing the way for the match to be played in front of spectators.

The disciplinary case, therefore, remains unresolved despite the lifting of the immediate uncertainty over supporters’ attendance.

Rangers had petitioned CAF over alleged unsportsmanlike conduct by some MCA supporters during the first leg at the MKO Abiola Stadium, which the Nigerian side won 2-0.

The Algerian newspaper reported that some MCA fans who travelled to Nigeria entered the dressing-room area after the match to express their displeasure with the team’s coach, Khaled Ben Yahia.

However, according to the report, the supporters were not accused of invading the pitch or assaulting match officials, members of the opposing team or Rangers supporters.

These circumstances could influence the nature of any eventual sanction, with El Khabar suggesting that MCA could face a substantial financial penalty rather than an immediate supporters’ ban.

Nevertheless, the possibility of further disciplinary measures remains, including a potential restriction on supporters’ attendance at future matches.

For now, MCA can concentrate on the sporting challenge ahead, with their supporters permitted to attend a match that could determine the club’s continental future.

The Algerian side must overturn a two-goal deficit after losing the first leg 2-0 in Nigeria. Playing before their home crowd offers an important boost as they seek to secure qualification for the next round.

CAF’s decision to postpone the disciplinary verdict until after the return leg means the controversy surrounding the first encounter will remain in the background even as both teams prepare for Friday’s decisive contest.

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