Algeria coach Djamel Belmadi acknowledged the difficulty of facing the fateful Ivory Coast, but he did not consider it the most difficult in his career, although the defending champion faces the risk of exiting the group stage of the African Nations Cup in Cameroon.
Algeria collected one point from two matches to bottom out Group E after a 0-0 draw with Sierra Leone, and a surprising 0-1 loss from Equatorial Guinea ended a 35-game unbeaten run for Belmadi's men.
There is no alternative to winning against Ivory Coast if Algeria wants to qualify for the final price.
"I always face difficult situations in my coaching career, and this motivates me a lot," Belmadi told reporters before the match on Thursday.
"We're in a really complicated situation, but we're trying to find solutions to get past that, we shouldn't take the math and pressure negatively; it's a challenge and it has to be won," he added.
Despite the many opportunities, the effectiveness was absent in front of the goal, as Algeria failed to score in the two matches, and Belmadi is looking for solutions to end the fasting for goals.
"I do not want to think too much about the reasons, but I am looking for solutions. If the team takes advantage of the missed opportunities to change the situation," he added.
"I never think about losing and going home," said captain Riyad Mahrez, the Manchester City playmaker. "We must play a good game and win, and I am optimistic about continuing the journey in Cameroon."
He added, "It will be an open and difficult match, and the best team will win. We live under pressure and have not been effective, and we are forced to overcome these circumstances."
Ivory Coast leads the group with 4 points, compared to 3 for Equatorial Guinea and 2 points for Sierra Leone.
The possibilities will be open to qualify for the Round of 16 with the rise of the best third-placed teams.