CAN 2022: after elimination, the Algerians assume their "total failure"
The Algerian striker, Islam Slimani, in the first row, passes, head down with his teammates, in front of the journalists.
Japoma Stadium, January 20, 2022. © RFI / Ndiassé SAMBE
Text by: Ndiasse Sambe Follow
3 mins
Coming out of CAN 2022 without glory in the first round after their defeat against Côte d'Ivoire (1-3), the Algerians, who presented themselves to the press, did not shirk their responsibilities.
All assume that they have failed in the defense of their title.
Now they are waiting for the World Cup play-offs to quickly rebound.
In the meantime, the reviews have already begun…
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From our special correspondent in Douala,
The Fennecs waited more than an hour after
the end of the meeting
to leave the locker room.
Ismaël Bennacer, best player of CAN 2019, is the first to present himself.
He walks with his head held high, not a look at the journalists who challenge him.
His teammates follow, Youcef Atal, Baghdad Bounedjah, Islam Slimani, etc.
None stops in front of the press.
Mehdi Tahrat does it.
The defender, who has played no minutes in this CAN, is the first not to hide.
“
It's a difficult moment after having had a happy moment in 2019. You have to hold your head up.
We did not do what was necessary to qualify.
Now, the World Cup play-offs are coming in March, we will have to prepare for them.
»
"You have to adapt, we knew it was going to be like that"
A little earlier, his coach Djamel Belmadi had begun to analyze the rout of his team at a press conference.
“
We wanted to defend our title.
We didn't get what we wanted
, he says.
Do not be afraid to say it is a total failure.
Tomorrow it will be daylight, it will be time to analyze
.
»
For defender Aïssa Mandi, there is no point in doing an on-the-spot analysis, but he lets go that the conditions were "
different
" from Cairo, which had seen the coronation of the Fennecs.
“
The terrain is different, the climate is different.
Everything is different.
These are not excuses, you have to adapt and we knew it was going to be like that.
We tried to adapt, but it didn't take.
»
His captain Riyad Mahrez agrees and assumes.
“
We did everything we could to try to win.
But on this match, we were not at the level, me, the first.
I assume my responsibilities.
It's part of football.
We won together in 2019, we lose together.
There is an observation to be made, an assessment, which will be made by the coach.
We will have to do our self-criticism.
We will do everything to restore joy to our people and do everything to qualify for the World Cup
.
»
Belmadi gets angry
The Manchester City player is already the target of criticism for missing his tournament.
The management of his case has had the gift of irritating Djamel Belmadi, whom Algerian journalists accuse of having given privileges to his number 10. “
I would have liked to settle this with the family, but hey…
, the coach is pointing
.
You don't have the ins and outs of this story, I didn't give Riyadh a vacation.
You are not well informed, even dishonest.
(…) We must not denigrate a player who has given so much happiness.
I assume this choice
.
»
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CAN
AFCON 2022
AFCON 2021
Ivory Coast
Algeria
Soccer