Algeria get back on track

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England’s Group C opponents Algeria, managed to scrape a 1-0 win over the
UAE in their latest warm-up game. The narrow win comes after Algeria were
beaten 3-0 against Ireland in their previous friendly, as they look to
prepare for this summer’s World Cup, during which football betting pundits don’t expect them to progress too far.

After four successive defeats, the victory will give the Algerians a much
needed confidence boost as they set off for South Africa. Another reason for
Algerian confidence was the return of centre-back Madjid Bougherra, the
Rangers defender missed the Ireland game with a calf injury but looks as
though he will be fit to face Slovenia in his country’s opening match.

Algeria qualified for their third World Cup after a play-off victory over
rivals Egypt. After both teams finished dead level in their qualifying
campaign, it meant a winner takes all play-off held in Sudan.

The two countries were hardly the best of friends before and this was proven
in clashes in the build-up to the game between rival fans leading to 15,000
police being deployed in and around the ground during the match. A narrow
1-0 victory, thanks to a spectacular Antar Yahia goal, meant Algeria made it
to their first World Cup since 1982.

Algeria coach Rabah Saadane has only had two warm-up games to prepare his
squad for the World Cup and will be hoping that will be enough, as his
country look to defy online betting odds and make it to the second round for the first time. Leading the team will be Yazid Mansouri, with 58 caps he is his side’s most capped player.

Nadir Belhadj, who spent a less then stress-free season at Portsmouth, is
the most well-known player outside Algeria. Despite being favourites to
finish bottom of their group, if their key players perform the North African
side stand a chance of qualifying from their group and in doing so, making
history.