Pair of Milo Longhorned
Published 4 hours ago, Updated 3 hours ago
Mabululu allowed his team to get back into the game, Mahrez was not up to the task. AFP / KENZO TRIBOUILLARD / AFP / KENZO TRIBOUILLARD
The Angolans managed to keep in check the Algerians who lacked attention in defense this Monday, at the CAN (1-1).
TOPS
Mabululu as savior
While he did not start the match, he was one of the best Angolan players on the pitch this Monday, against Algeria (1-1). After a complicated first half for his team, he came on in place of Bruno Paz (40th). When he returned from the locker room, he was one of the Angolan players to sound rebellious and play with full confidence. While his teammates lacked realism in the last gesture, he managed to obtain and convert the equalizing penalty (1-1, 67th) after flirting the ball with the crossbar and the line. This is called winning coaching.
Read alsoCAN: Algeria held by Angola
Belaïli with a baguette…
Even if he was replaced (67th by Ounas), Youcef Belaïli was one of the most effective Algerians in this meeting. Striking from the start, he often played and won his duels, thus creating striking situations. The Angolan goalkeeper had to perform prowess so that the gap did not increase before the break. It is also he who perfectly launches Baghdad Bounedjah into the depth for the opening score for the Fennecs (1-0, 19th). In the second half, like all his teammates, he was less prominent.
FLOPS
…Mahrez lost in his hat
Certainly, the Fennecs have decided to concentrate their offensives on the left side of the field. However, the Algerian captain was absent from all the good moves. It was only at the end of the second half that the Al-Ahli striker won two free kicks on the edge of the area. A contribution far too low for a player of his caliber. The question now arises as to whether he can find his legs again to take his team to the end as he was able to do in 2019.
A reaction defense
Already lax in the first period, the Algerian defense was completely overwhelmed by the Angolan attacks. As if they were spectators, the Fennecs waited to see the opposing players leave behind them before starting to follow them. Like the penalty obtained and converted by Mabululu (1-1, 67th), the entire defense has its eyes glued to the ball and no one sees the attacker arriving to take the center. By wanting to cut this pass, Bentaleb sweeps his opponent and the referee can only award a logical penalty. Following this, the Angolan attackers continued to wander into the Algerian defense. Fortunately for the Fennecs, they (too) often lacked realism and precision in the last gesture, the score could turn to the advantage of the Palancas Negras at any time.
