Football: Algeria, pride found with CHAN at home
Algerian supporters in the stands during the opening match of CHAN 2023, Algeria-Libya.
Friday January 13, 2022. © Pierre René-Worms
Text by: Ndiasse Sambe Follow
3 mins
After a painful year 2022, marked by the elimination in the first round of the CAN and a non-participation in the World Cup, football resumed colors this Friday in Algeria with the start of the CHAN organized at home.
The match won by the Fennecs against Libya set the tone.
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From our special correspondent in Algiers
The inevitable green-white-red flag bloomed everywhere in town.
The slogan "
One, two, three!"
Viva l'Algérie
” was sung to an irritating throat and the passion for football was reflected in each of the 40,000 supporters at the Nelson Mandela stadium in Baraki on Friday 13 January.
For the opening match of CHAN 2022, the new enclosure, inaugurated the day before, vibrated like never before.
As if it was a way to exorcise the demons of 2022 which saw Algeria live one of the worst years in its history in football.
An elimination in the first round of the CAN, in the skin of the defending champion, and a play-off lost against Cameroon at the last second ending the dream of the World Cup in Qatar.
"
A
New Story"
The scars are still there.
“Me, the elimination at the World Cup, I could not exceed that when the World Cup began
, testifies Yassine, crossed at the stadium.
Seeing Algeria miss the first World Cup in an Arab and Muslim country is a huge disappointment that does not pass easily.
»
This CHAN, organized at home, 33 years after the CAN 1990, came to heal the wounds of the Algerian enthusiasts who want to experience the event to the full.
"
It's a new page in a new stadium, we hope that a new story will start today for Algerian football
," continues Yassine.
The CHAN, competition much less popular than the CAN, found, in Algeria a beautiful window to expose itself.
This football party at home delights the passionate supporters of the Greens.
“
It's really great, it's extraordinary to experience this today.
I think it's going to be historic
, ”enthuses Tania, a young supporter in her twenties.
Algeria has put the small dishes in the big ones to succeed in the challenge and prove that it organizes a CAN, like that of 2025, which it covets since it was withdrawn from Guinea.
“
We want to prove during this CHAN that Algeria is a hospitable people, which welcomes everyone.
That we are a country of football
, ”says Achraf.
“We want to win the Cup”
Even if it is "only" the CHAN, without the stars Mahrez or other Slimani, the supporters do not intend to sulk their pleasure.
"
These players may be future stars of the national team
," warns Tania.
These local players have in any case succeeded in entering their CHAN by defeating Libya in the opening match.
A victory to launch an adventure that the Algerian people hope to conclude brilliantly on the evening of February 4, the day of the final.
“We want to win the Cup, because it's at home, announces Mokhtar, after the end of the meeting.
The game was tough today, but that's normal for the start.
For the next ones, the supporters will push even more so that the team wins the cup.
We just want that."
A first trophy at the start of 2023 to definitively turn the page in 2022.
CHAN 2023 in Algeria: Schedule and results
Algeria does not miss its debut
Thanks to a penalty from Aimen Mahious in the 55th minute, Algeria won (1-0) against Libya in the opening match of the 7th edition of the African Nations Championship.
Madjid Bougherra's men suffered against the Libyans who resisted well despite the pressure of the 40,000 supporters present at the Nelson-Mandela stadium.
The proteges of Corentin Martins, who hit the post a quarter from the end of the match, can harbor regrets.
Algeria, on the other hand, has achieved the essentials by starting with a success to launch this CHAN.
The second meeting of this group A will oppose Ethiopia to Mozambique on Saturday January 14th.
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CHAN 2022
Algeria
Libya
Soccer