The blood of Syli Nationale fans must have run as cold as the Conakry air on Saturday night after Guinea lost 2-0 to Mauritania in an international friendly played away at Stade Cheikha Boidiya in Nouakchott.

But, while Syli looked stilted in attack at times, and increasingly apprehensive at the back as they leaked goals, Malian referee Coulibaly Harouna emerged as important protagonist.

This, according to Guinea national team coach Paul Put was for a litany of myopic refereeing decisions that saw his player Diallo Abdoulaye Sadio sent off in unclear circumstances.

“We did not understand some of the referee’s decisions which completely skewed a match that was fairly balanced. The red card distorted the game. We were completely outplayed in the second stanza. For a friendly match, the referee should have been lenient, “said Put in an interview with Rim Sport.

However, Put who was appointed as head coach few weeks ago, is well aware of the task ahead of him in getting a winning team to qualify the Syli National for the 2019 Total Africa Cup of Nations in Cameroon.

“After the difficulties that we experienced in getting players into camp, we were able to train properly in Nouakchott. I am happy with how my players did in first half.In second half, it was complicated. My feeling is good. It was an opportunity to test the team,” Put added as translated from French.

Guinea currently top Group H of 2019 AFCON which includes Central African Republic, Cote d’Ivoire and Rwanda.