Cairo (AFP)
Algeria has successfully applied its debut in the African Cup of Nations beating Kenya (2-0) Sunday in Cairo, the cornerstone of its reconstruction.
Even before entering the field, the country has already managed a feat: that of animating the stands of the stadium of June 30, with its thousand supporters, excited to see their Fennecs back in a big competition.
Their favorites arrived in Egypt without making any noise, after their absence from the World Cup-2018 and their pitiful elimination from the pools of the CAN-2017. With this inaugural success, they are back on the front of the stage.
Appointed in August 2018, the coach Djamel Belmadi has managed to build a solid formation for the start of the tournament. Symbols of the work he leads, three emerging executives have unlocked the situation.
The nugget of Nice Youcef Atal caused the penalty that transformed the man in form Baghdad Bounedjah (34th). Empoli midfielder Ismael Bennacer, 21, then served captain Riyad Mahrez to seal the match, with a strike from the ground (43 ').
Atal, Bounedjah, Bennacer ... While they accumulate less than 50 selections, they embody the renewal of Algeria. But the promises call for confirmation: Thursday against solid Senegal, which beat Tanzania (2-0), they will have to show if they are able to go further.
Bounedjah, in particular, will have to face defender Kalidou Koulibaly. But he will arrive with incredible confidence: with Qatari club Al-Sadd, he has scored 39 goals in 22 games this season. In selection, he scored in each of his last six appearances!
"He's one of the best strikers in the world," said Kenyan coach Sébastien Migné before the match.
His agreement with Sofiane Feghouli was interesting. The two combined well to serve an offering to Youcef Belaïli, who lost his duel to the goalkeeper (25). On the bench, Bounedjah's substitute Andy Delort had to measure the gap that separated him from a place holder.
The Montpellier, called at the last minute after his naturalization express, entered the 81st minute, without creating opportunities. For him too, it's all about construction.
? 2019 AFP