Russia keeper ‘blinded by laser’

Russia coach Fabio Capello says his team’s 2014 World Cup exit is due to interference from the crowd after a laser pen appears to target keeper Igor Akinfeev during the setpiece that leads to the only goal of the game, sending Algeria through to the knockout stage at the expense of the 2018 tournament hosts. Television and still pictures show a green light trained on Akinfeev’s face, and he protests strongly as Abdelmoumene Djabou’s free-kick is lofted into the area to be headed home by Islam Slimani.

He was blinded by the laser beam. There are pictures. You can see that in the footage. This not an excuse, it is a fact. There was a laser.