Algeria – World Cup 2010 Preview #9 (Group C)

Algeria

Appearances at World Cup finals: Two times, in 1982 and 1986

Best ever performance: 13^th place in 1982, eliminated in the 1^st round with two wins and a single defeat

Famous moment in WC history: Beating West Germany in the first round game in 1982 in Spain, by 2-1.

The Lowdown: Algeria has always been capable of the better or the worst, all in a couple of days. They managed to qualify for the World Cup, beating Egypt and then went on to suffer a heavy 4-0 defeat in the African Cup of Nations, just a few months later. They are fortunate to be in a group that allows them to play as the underdog, against the favorites England and USA and the European Slovenia side.

This means that they are likely to try and get the three points against Slovenia in the first game and then play a cautious, defensive game against both USA and England. The downside is that the pressure is huge. Algeria, an Islamic nation, is going to face the “imperialistic” western powers, USA and England. Algerians have an extra motive to win, but the players have shown they do not respond well to pressure (the three red cards in the game against Egypt in the African Cup of Nations demonstrates the point). In conclusion, they are more than capable to progress to the knockout round, but their biggest opponent could well end up being themselves…

Qualification: It was a fascinating qualification for the World Cup, gripping, and it all came down to the last possible match against their rivals, Egypt. Algeria and Egypt finished with exactly the same points, goal difference and head to head records, so a tie-breaker was arranged.

The match was played out in a neutral ground in Sudan, and more than 15,000 police officers were mobilized for the intense game, after months of escalating disputes. In the end, Algeria won by 1-0, causing massive celebration both in Algeria and Paris by 15,000 Algerian fans, whilst Egyptians took their revenge in the 2010 African Cup of Nations, humiliating their opponents with a 4-0 defeat in the semi-final.

Top scorer in qualifying: Antar Yahia, Rafik Saifi, Karim Ziani – 3 goals each.

All-time World Cup finals top scorer: Assad 2 goals

The Manager: Rabah Saadane is a legend of Algerian football, although he hasn’t escaped heavy criticism, particularly after the heavy 4-0 defeat to Egypt in the African Cup of Nations. Saadane has had five different spells on the helm of the national team, having lead them in the World Cup of 1982 and 1986. The 64 year old manager is a conservative tactician, not likely to cause many surprises on the pitch. He has counted on the many players playing in Europe, like Yahia, Belhadj, Bougherra, Ziani and the recently moved to Qatar, Rafik Saifi. He is most likely to field a classic 4-2-3-1 formation, with Ziani in the hole.

Key Player: Karim Ziani, the midfield playmaker of Algeria has the flair to score some spectacular goals, but his main strength lies in organizing the offences of his national team and providing a “cool” leadership to the rest of the squad.

One to Watch: There are many players in the Algeria squad able to provide surprises and capture the limelight, but one of the most unpredictable is without a doubt, Rafik Djebbour. Playing in AEK Athens, he has managed to get into three different fights with his teammates and his coach, Dusan Bajevic, but in the last couple of months he has been in very good form. It’s not certain that he will play even a single game with Algeria, but if he does, then you should better keep an eye for his dribbling.

On the move?: Antar Yahia is not a newcomer in the world football stage, having played for 3 years in Bochum as a starting central defender. The World Cup will be an excellent opportunity for this resilient centre-back to get a transfer to a bigger European club this summer.

How will Algeria perform in Group C at the World Cup? Discuss les Fennecs’ chances against England, Slovenia and USA below.

Algeria, Group C, Previews, World Cup 2010