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Aside from a green carpet victory in 2017 during the 2018 World Cup qualifiers, Algeria has been waiting for twenty-nine years to beat the Super Eagles on the field. The Greens will have the opportunity in the semifinal, Sunday, July 14 at the International Stadium in Cairo.
From our special envoy in Cairo,
" All participants want to play a semi-final of CAN, the strongest will win, " says Djamel Belmadi . The coach of Algeria is visibly tired of answering the question of whether the Fennecs are the underdogs or favorites of this big event.
End of the desert crossing ?
Is the desert crossing over for Algeria? After surprising at the 2014 World Cup in Brazil with Vahid Halilhodžić (round of 16), the Fennecs disappointed in 2015 under the leadership of Christian Gourcuff, beaten in the quarterfinals by the Ivorians in Equatorial Guinea. In 2017, in Gabon, the Greens came out in the first round with the Belgian Georges Leekens at the controls. The 2018 World Cup in Russia was played without them.
In recent years, Algerians have often been imagined to lift the continental trophy. It was only disappointments and crises. After the coaching waltz, the latest being Rabah Madjer, the Greens have visibly regained serenity with Djamel Belmadi at the baton. " He's still here, behind us, and we want to give him back the favor. He made us progress on the mind, " says Mehdi Abeid in a press conference on the eve of the meeting.
" I see them as solid and very physical "
Offensively and defensively, the Fennecs were astonished in Egypt. Even with Team B against Tanzania in the third meeting of the first round (3-0). This did not fail to highlight the Franco-German coach of Nigeria, Gernot Rohr. " We defeated Algeria at Uyo (as part of the second day of the 2018 World Cup qualifiers) and they helped us win. They were fragile. Today, I see them as solid and very physical. Algeria has progressed tactically. We are suspicious because the quality of the opponent is there, "says the former coach of Burkina Faso. Algeria conceded only one goal (against Ivory Coast) and scored ten times. A shadow on the board: Youcef Atal, injured, will miss the appointment. The right back side of the OGC Nice was a key element of the group.
Such a long wait ...
The last semi-final of Algeria goes back to the CAN 2010 in Angola against Egypt. At the time, the Pharaohs won 4-0. Only the central defender Rafik Halliche had lived this last square. The rest of the band will discover the joy but also the stress of this meeting.
Since the final won in 1990 at home, against the Nigerians (1-0), never the Greens are imposed on the field against the Super Eagles. Cherif Oudjani had offered Algeria its only continental title. And at the time, Algeria had won everything: the trophy, the title of the best attack (13 goals), better defense (only 2 goals conceded). Rabah Madjer was voted best player of the tournament. After twenty-nine years of waiting, the Fennecs want to repeat the feat of beating Nigeria for a place in the final of the CAN 2019.
► Also read: CAN 2019: Calendar, results and standings of the Africa Cup