CAN 2022: enchanted Sierra Leoneans, upset Algerians
Algerian Baghdad Bounedjah in the midst of Sierra Leonean defenders.
Tuesday January 11, 2022 © Pierre René-Worns
Text by: Ndiasse Sambe Follow
3 min
Sierra Leone has achieved the feat of holding the African champion Algeria in check (0-0) for its return to CAN, 25 years after its last participation.
A big performance that delighted the players of the Leone star while on the side of the Fennecs, the disappointment was the feeling best shared.
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From our special correspondent in Douala,
The contrast is striking.
After the end of the meeting, in the alley of the mixed zone where the players pass after their shower to join their bus, the face of the Sierra Leoneans is radiant, that of the Algerians gloomy.
The first arrive in a group, almost everyone stops to drop a word to the journalists and
talk about the new achievement
after the double draw (4-4; 0-0) against Nigeria in the CAN 2022 qualifiers. "
C is an incredible, enormous result!
Starting the CAN like that after 25 years of absence is really a good result
, ”striker Mustapha Bundu ecstated.
“
It's a great performance
, also said defender Osman Kakay
.
We had a good game. I am proud of the state of mind that we displayed.
We played against big stars like Mahrez, and I'm happy with the result today
.
"
"Unbelievable, what we did ...
"
The most anticipated player after his XXL performance, goalkeeper Mohamed N Kamara was not discreet, his shyness contrasting with his hyperactivity during the match against the Fennecs which earned him the title of "Man of the match".
“
This trophy is very important,
” he admits.
He means a lot to me, my family and my loved ones.
It's incredible what we did
”.
It's all ended here 0-0 and our very own sensational goalkeeper Mohamed N. Kamara won the MOM awards.
pic.twitter.com/6myAX8RKUd
- Sierra Leone Football Association (@SLFA_sl) January 11, 2022
His coach John Keister appreciates the feat, but remains measured, as the rest promises to be just as difficult with Côte d'Ivoire and Equatorial Guinea as the next opponents.
“
I said at the start of the tournament that we were a growing team, today we showed that the team is progressing.
We had been absent from CAN for 25 years, we were keen to defend ourselves well.
We have a young team, I ask them to be professional to stay competitive.
We are proud of this result, and will now prepare for the next match.
We are not going to jump a ceiling after a game, we still have two
”.
Bensebaini: "
We will qualify, we will go to the end
"
On the side of Algeria, most of the players did not want to speak after the match. Even coach Djamel Belmadi, who made it a point of honor to drop a few words in the mixed zone, passed his turn. In a press conference, he confided his feelings. “
There is a feeling of regret. We wanted to start this competition well, so with a victory. We had the situations to score, more than enough. We did not know how to be realistic this afternoon
, ”analyzes the coach of the Fennecs.
The rebound is therefore expected for the next match against Equatorial Guinea on Sunday.
“
It will be necessary to win, quite simply,
announces Belmadi
.
You have to win every game.
We enter the field with the idea of winning all the matches.
Today, we failed in our task.
We will correct what needs to be corrected and then come back against Equatorial Guinea to win.
"
Defender Ramy Bensebaini, one of the few to have stopped in front of journalists, believes that there is no need to panic after this underperformance.
“
It's not because we have drawn that we have to give up everything.
We will qualify, we will go to the end.
It's the first game, it's just a misstep, I hope.
We will quickly bounce back
.
"
CAN 2022: CALENDAR AND MATCH RESULTS
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