It’s a thunderclap in Cameroon. After its surprise draw against Sierra Leone (0-0), Algeria lost against Equatorial Guinea (0-1) and ended its series of 35 games without defeat. With one point in two games, the Fennecs are bottom of their group and will absolutely have to win against Côte d’Ivoire, hung by the Leone Stars (2-2), to qualify for the round of 16.
When it doesn’t want, it doesn’t want. Yet dominant in the game, Riyad Mahrez’s teammates were unable to find the net against Equatorial Guinea (13 shots, 3 on target), like Youcef Belaïli, who missed his double chance in front of Owono ( 22nd) or Islam Slimani, who tripped over the carpet when finishing (83rd). And obviously, Algeria was punished. On a failed corner from Salvador, Miranda deflected the ball and Esteban Obiang appeared at the far post to score from close range (70th).
A decisive shock to come against Ivory Coast
Touched but not sunk, Algeria then tried everything to get back into the game and exposed themselves to counter flashes from Equatorial Guinea, still disciplined and courageous defensively. The title holders failed to score their first achievement in this CAN, despite two goals disallowed for offside (24th, 83rd). With this defeat, they no longer have their destiny in their hands and seriously jeopardize their chance of qualification.
“There are not always rational answers to everything, reacted coach Djamel Belmadi after the match, in remarks reported by the media DZFoot. We can dominate outrageously without scoring or taking a point and we can talk about it for hours. We create chances by the dozen but no ball wants to go to the bottom. »
The match against Côte d’Ivoire (Thursday, January 20 at 5 p.m. in Douala) already promises to be explosive. The Elephants, leader of their group with 4 points, are not yet safe. They too were disappointed yesterday against Sierra Leone. Despite a good two-goal performance from Sebastien Haller and Nicolas Pepe, Côte d’Ivoire was caught up in stoppage time after an improbable ball from their goalkeeper Badra Ali Sangaré, who released a ball in front of his goal. .
“The world is going to come crashing down on us. I take full responsibility for that. We have to believe it. Côte d’Ivoire is a big team but it won’t be insurmountable,” added Djamel Belmadi. The Algerian coach knows that the next match may be the last in this AFCON for the defending champions who were already dreaming of a double. “As long as I am not dead I will believe it”, assures Belamdi.
