FIFA rejects Algeria's call to replay World Cup play-off with Cameroon

Algeria's desperate bid to have their World Cup play-off with Cameroon replayed has been rejected by the competition organisers FIFA, the Algerian Football Federation said Saturday. Algeria won the first leg of the play-off 1-0 in March but were beaten 2-1 in the return leg to miss out on one of the five berths at the finals for African nations.

The Algerian federation claimed the refereeing of the second tie by Gambian Bakary Gassama was "scandalous" while the FIFA referees committee rejected this view. "The referees decisions had no negative influence," FIFA said.