World Cup preview: Algeria
Coach: Rabah Saâdane
Key player: Madjid Bougherra
Previous best: First round 1982 & 1986
Fifth time’s the charm, hopes Algeria’s Rabah Saâdane, who is currently in his fifth spell coaching his country and leads them into a third World Cup, his second.
His first was in Mexico in 1986 when The Desert Foxes disappointed – exiting at the group stage while only scoring one goal – but in their only other previous World Cup finals, the Algerians were involved in one of the tournament’s most controversial incidents.
In 1982, Algeria shocked the world by beating West Germany in their opening match, and after a 3-2 win over Chile in their final game, they would have qualified for the second round if the following day’s match between West Germany and Austria ended in anything other than a one or two goal West German win. West Germany took an early lead, and then the two German-speaking countries proceeded to play out time for the rest of the match, ensuring that they both went through on goal difference. Angry Algerian supporters in the crowd waved banknotes at the players suggesting that they had been bribed, while German flags were burned – some even by German supporters.
An Algerian appeal fell on deaf ears, but the incident set a precedent, and Fifa now ensure that both final group matches kick off at the same time. A moral victory for the Algerians then, but their task now is to achieve tournament fame on the pitch.
In this group, that will be hard.
England will be too strong, and the USA’s greater experience should ensure that they’ll qualify with them, but a win for Algeria in their opening match against Slovenia could at least make the Americans sweat.
Saâdane oversaw a mixed African Nations Cup campaign that started and ended with heavy defeats, but also featured a famous quarter final victory over the Ivory Coast courtesy of an extra time winner from Blackpool’s Hameur Bouazza, who has been controversially overlooked by Saâdane for the World Cup.
Those who are in the squad largely ply their trade in Europe, and will be relying upon Glasgow Rangers defender Madjid Bougherra – “Boogie” to his friends – to run a tight ship at the back. Nadir Belhadj has impressed at Portsmouth, where Hassan Yebda had a loan spell last season, while Adlène Guedioura has signed for Wolverhampton Wanderers after impressing Mick McCarthy during his loan spell from Charleroi last season.
Recent rule changes have allowed Saâdane to call up three former French youth internationals, including former Liverpool defender Carl Medjani, but the creativity in the team will be provided by Wolfsburg’s Karim Ziani. The loss of Lazio’s Mourad Meghni – once nicknamed “petit Zidane” – to a knee injury is a big blow.
Captain Yazid Mansouri had a spell at Coventry City in the dim and distant past, and will provide an important shield for the back four, while experienced goalkeeper Lounès Gaouaoui could have a vital role to play if an appeal over the suspension of first choice Faouzi Chaouchi is upheld.
On paper, Algeria don’t stand much of a chance of making it through to the second round, and they don’t stand much chance on the pitch either.
It could be a damage limitation exercise, but a good result against Slovenia might stand them in good stead to at least avoid finishing bottom of the group.
That is surely the best they can hope for.
Algeria squad
1 Lounès GAOUAOUI (ASO Chlef)
2 Madjid BOUGHERRA (Rangers)
3 Nadir BELHADJ (Portsmouth)
4 Antar YAHIA (Bochum)
5 Rafik HALLICHE (Nacional Madeira)
6 Yazid MANSOURI (Lorient)
7 Riad BOUDEBOUZ (Sochaux)
8 Medhi LACEN (Racing Santander)
9 Abdelkader GHEZZAL (Siena)
10 Rafik SAIFI (Istres)
11 Rafik DJEBBOUR (AEK Athens)
12 Habib BELLAID (Boulogne-sur-Mer)
13 Karim MATMOUR (Borussia Moenchengladbach)
14 Abdelkader LAÏFAOUI (Entente Setif)
15 Karim ZIANI (Wolfsburg)
16 Faouzi CHAOUCHI (Entente Setif)
17 Adlène GUEDIOURA (Wolves)
18 Carl MEDJANI (Ajaccio)
19 Hassan YEBDA (Benfica)
20 Djamel MESBAH (Lecce)
21 Fouad KADIR (Valenciennes)
22 Djamel ABDOUN (Nantes)
23 Raïs M'BOHLI (Slavia Sofia)
For previews of Algeria's Group C opponents click here:
http://www.senore.com/World-Cup-2010-preview-England-a12354
http://www.senore.com/World-Cup-preview-Slovenia-a12356
http://www.senore.com/World-Cup-2010-preview-USA-a12357
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