AFCON2021: Algeria are bent on retaining their title

Coach Djamal Belmadi and team captain Riyad Mahrez made the declaration during their pre-match press conference against Sierra Leone this Monday January 11,2022 at Japoma stadium in Douala.

Winners of the previous edition, the Fennecs of Algeria have taken all measures to go back with the cup according to their coach Djamal Belmadi who was equally surprised by the weather condition in Douala.

“My players are professional, they know what they have to do and I have confidence in them,” Belmadi said.

Captain Riyad Mahrez during the pre-match conference also assured the public, “I’m happy to be here for another tournament – my teammates and I are here with a lot of ambitions. We are prepared and ready to play the first match and why not go back with the cup again,” the Manchester City winger said.

In the course of the meeting, Coach Djamal Belmadi talked about the attack on Algerian journalists in Douala last night and pleaded on authorities to reinforce security for them to cover the event well.

Later in the afternoon the team had their last training session at the Japoma Annex South pitch before meeting the Leone Stars this Tuesday January 11, at 2pm.

The Fennecs participation at the AFCON

The Fennecs have won the tournament twice since their first participation in 1968 in Ethiopia – their first title was in 1990 and the second in 2019.

Algeria also finished second in the 1980 edition held in Nigeria and 3rd in the 1984 and 1988 editions held in Ivory coast and Morocco

Since then iconic winger Riyad Mahrez and his teammates have performed well. They remain unbeaten in 34 matches, a world record only second to Italy (36 games unbeaten). They won the Fifa Arab Cup in Doha, Qatar last month. Also, the Fennecs passed the elimination phase of the ongoing Africa Cup of Nations with flying colours – four wins and two draws. They finished with the best attack of the playoffs with 19 goals scored.

Leone Stars are prepared

Like their opponents, the Leone Stars are committed to winning the match against the Fennecs on Tuesday January 11, at the Japoma Stadium.

During the pre-match conference this Monday January 10,2022, Coach John Keister was confident.

“We have no case of COVID-19. We will do our best, we don’t care about Algeria. We will focus on the game, ” he told the media.

Few hours after the pre-game conference, the team also had a training session to fine-tune their strategies at the Japoma Annex North Stadium before the match with title holders Algeria.

Sierra Leone’s participation at the AFCON

Sierra Leone are playing their 3rd AFCON finals this year after 25years of absence in the tournament. The country was the last team and 24th to qualify for the 33rd edition of the Africa Cup of Nations in Cameroon after beating Benin 1-0. Their last participations were in 1994 and 1996 in South Africa.

Despite all this , the team is well armed, ready to face all the teams in Group E and finally win the competition.

Natacha LEHMAN

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