Algerian midfielder Hassan Yebda said Russia coach Fabio Capello was just making "excuses" after he blamed a laser beam aimed at his goalkeeper following his team's World Cup exit.

Yebda said Capello was making too much of the incident after TV images showed a laser pen shining on Igor Akinfeev's face seconds before Algeria's equaliser.

Thursday's game finished 1-1, putting Algeria into the knock-out phase for the first time at Russia's expense and prompting some sharp words from Capello.

But Yebda said he didn't think the laser beam was an important factor.

"I don't think a laser can do something bad for the goalkeeper so I don't think it's a good excuse from him (Capello)," the midfielder told reporters.  "He's a big coach, he knows everything."

After the game, Capello said Akinfeev was "blinded" by the laser pen, apparently pointed from the crowd, and insisted "it is not an excuse". But Algeria's Nabil Bentaleb also dismissed the comments from the Italian ex-England boss. "Maybe they can try to find excuses but we drew the game and we scored. That's what counts for me, I don't even look at that," Bentaleb said.

afp