Algeria 2010 World Cup Preview

Shrouded in mystery, perhaps the biggest Group C question U.S. and England fan alike Group C want to know is who is Algeria and is the northern African nation a threat?

As a footballing country, most of Les Fennecs (the Desert Foxes) success can be traced back 20-plus years ago when the team had an eight-year golden stretch qualifying for back-to-back World Cups in 1982 and 1986 – the only two in its nation’s history – before winning the African Cup of Nations as the host country in 1990.

However, that era was short-lived and Algeria could not sustain that level of achievement on the pitch failing to qualify for another World Cup before 2010, failing to make it past the quarterfinals in the African Cup of Nations since its only trophy in ’90, and before taking fourth place in January at the African Cup of Nations as recently as 2006 and 2008 failing to even qualify for their continental tournament.

Of the five African teams to qualify for 2010, Algeria certainly enter with the least amount of fanfare, name recognition, and top flight European back ground of its five home continent counter parts.

The Indomitable Lions of Cameroon are led by one of the fiercest and most feared strikers in the world in Inter Milan’s Samuel Eto’o.

Ghana have perhaps Africa’s most complete player in premier holding midfielder Michael Essien, not to mention the terrific Sulley Ali Muntari of Inter Milan.

Nigeria have the terrific striking duo of Obafemi Martins and Yakubu not to mention another one of the terrific Chelsea center holding back – Jon Obi Mikel.

Ivory Coast are stacked head to toe with the likes of Emmanuel Eboue, Didier Zokora, the Toure brother Yaya and Kolo, Salomon Kalou, Kader Keita, and the one and only super star forward Didier Drogba.

And even host South Africa have one of the game’s truly rising prospects in Everton’s Steven Pienaar, a playmaker with the raw ability to freelance all over the pitch and impact the game in the blink of an eye.

In comparison, Algeria are really seen as a bunch of no-namers around world football much in the same view as the U.S. are held. Players like midfielder Karim Ziani of Germany’s Bundesliga club Wolfsburg, Portsmouth’s fiery defender Nadir Belhadj, and Glasgow Ranger center defender Madjid Bougherra headline the Desert Foxes cast of characters – clearly not the household names that would give Group C opponents reason to tremble.

But to overlook Les Fennecs could be a mistake punished with an early exit at the World Cup. Algeria have put together an impressive list safari kills in their journey to 2010 South Africa.

In early qualification Algeria after a slow 1-2 start in group play, Algeria went 2-0-1 over the course of its final three games to top a group with 10 points that included Liberia, Gambia, and Senegal.

Thrown into a group in the next round that featured Zambia, Rwanda, and bitter rivals Egypt – Algeria took its game to the next level winning four of its first five matches in the second round of group action, including a defiant 3-1 victory over Egypt. But in the final game of group play, the Pharaohs nicked a dramatic 2-0 decision over Algeria that forced a playoff. The playoff match was given even more hype by being moved to the neutral country of Sudan after the Algeria team bus was attacked following Les Fennecs defeat in Cairo. But the Algerians plight was rewarded as the Desert Foxes slick play and terrific goal from Anthar Yahia sent the country into jubilation with a 1-0 win qualifying Algeria for the Cup.

In January Algeria validated any questions about its overall ability with a sound performance in Angola for the 2010 African Cup of Nations. A 1-0 win over Mali and a 0-0 tie with the host nation allowed Algeria to move onto the quarterfinals against heavy favorites Cote d’Ivoire or the Ivory Coast. There Les Fennecs picked up their most notable win to date since returning to prominence.

Tied at 1-1 after the first have, a lively second half did not see any scoring until the final two minutes of regulation. Just before stoppage time the Ivory Coast’s Keita put the Elephants on top in the 89^th minute 2-1. Only a desperate header by Bougherra saved Algeria in stoppage time before Hameur Bouazza’s thrilling winner three minutes into extra time. Algeria would lose its next game to Egypt 4-0, but its win over the Ivory Coast was the shot heard before the World Cup.

Potential Squad:

Manager: Rabah Saadane

Goalkeepers: Lounes Gaouaoui; Fawzi Chaouchi; Mohamed Zemmamouche

Defenders: Madjid Bougherra; Nadir Belhadj; Antar Yahia; Rafik Halliche; Slimane Raho; Reda Babouche; Abdelkader Laifoui; Samir Zaoui

Midfielders: Lacen; Yazid Mansouri; Yacine Bezzaz; Khaled Lemmoucchia; Karim Matmour; Karim Ziani; Hassan Yedba; Mourad Meghni; Djamel Abdoun; Hameur Bouazza

Strikers: Rafik Djebbour; Abdelkader Ghezzal; Rafik Saifi; Abdelmalek Zlaya; Chadli Amri