- Title: VARIOUS: FOOTBALL/SOCCER - Algeria World Cup preview
- Date: 17th May 2010
- Summary: ALGIERS, ALGERIA (NOVEMBER 18, 2009) (ORIGINALLY 4:3) ((REUTERS) STREET CELEBRATIONS FOLLOWING VICTORY OVER EGYPT IN PLAYOFF
- Embargoed: 1st June 2010 13:00
- Keywords:
- Topics: Sports
- Reuters ID: LVA50K59GFV2ZXCDTJGMT0L0SXVF
- Story Text: Algeria exceeded all expectations in qualifying for the 2010 finals, overcoming a decade in the doldrums which has included failing to even qualify for the last two African Nations Cup finals.
Their battle against Egypt in the qualifiers was a veritable World Cup final for them and the trip to South Africa is but a bonus for their players.
The dramatic playoff triumph on neutral territory over Egypt was overshadowed by several violent incidents and has strained diplomatic relations between the two countries. Algeria and Egypt finished tied at the top of their group with goal difference and goals scored unable to separate them.
Factbox on World Cup qualifiers Algeria: World Cup record: Previous appearances in finals: Two Best performance: Group stages in 1982 and 1986 Coach: Rabah Saadane has remarkably returned as a World Cup coach more than two decades after taking his country to their last finals appearance in Mexico in 1986. An ex-international, Saadane has had an intermittent coaching career but was offered the job when a series of French bosses departed without much success. The 63-year-old has also worked in several Arabic countries over the last two decades.
Key players: Key players: Karim Ziani (VfL Wolfsburg). Position: Midfield. Born 13.8.1982 French born Ziani is representative of the vast majority of Algeria players, who are born in France to immigrant parents and have opted to play for the north African nation. The diminutive Ziani threw in his lot with Algeria before coming to prominence at Lorient, where he was voted Ligue 2's best player, and later Sochaux and Olympique Marseille.
Nadir Belhaj (Portsmouth). Position: Full back. Born 18.6.1982 Not many can boast scoring twice against Argentina but Belhadj achieved the feat in a 4-3 loss in a friendly in Spain two years ago to make a strong statement about his ability, particularly down the left wing where he keenly moves forward from his full back position.
Mourad Meghni (Lazio). Position: Midfield. Born 16.4.1984 A recent change to the FIFA statutes has allowed this former French under-21 international to play for Algeria. He made his debut in August and helped in the key qualifying matches.
Squad: Goalkeepers: Faouzi Chaouchi (Entente Setif), Lounes Gaouaoui (ASO Chlef), Rais Ouheb Mbouli (Slavia Sofia), Mohamed Lamine Zemmamouche (Mouloudia Algiers) Defenders: Habib Belaid (Boulogne-sur-Mer), Nader Belhadj (Portsmouth), Majid Bougherra (Rangers), Rafik Halliche (Nacional), Abdelkader Laifaoui (Entente Setif), Carl Medjani (Ajaccio), Mohamed Meftah (JS Kabylie), Djamel Mesbah (Lecce), Hocine Metref (Entente Setif), Antar Yahia (VfL Bochum) Midfielders: Djamel Abdoun (Nantes), Lazhar Hadj Aissa (Entente Setif), Riad Boudebouz (Sochaux), Adlane Guedioura (Wolverhampton Wanderers), Fouad Kadir (Valenciennes), Medhi Lacen (Racing Santanader), Khaled Lemmouchia (Entente Setif), Yazid Mansouri (Lorient), Mourad Meghni (Lazio), Hassan Yebda (Portsmouth), Karim Ziani (VfL Wolfsburg) Forwards: Amri Chadli (Kaiserslautern, Germany), Rafik Djebbour (AEK Athens), Abdelkader Ghezzal (Siena), Karim Matmour (Borussia Moenchengladbach), Rafik Saifi (Istres) - Copyright Holder: FILE REUTERS (CAN SELL)
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