South Africa World Cup 2010 Group C: Algeria

GROUP C

England USA Algeria Slovenia

Algeria

Road to South Africa

Algeria were the last team to make it into the World Cup draw on 2nd December 2009, having overcome a fiercely competitive play-off match with Egypt in Sudan.

Rabah Saadane's side had an impressive record in qualifying, winning five matches and losing just one. In the last twelve months, Algeria have risen significantly in the FIFA World Rankings. They were outside the top 100 in 2008 but at the time of writing are now ranked as the 28th best football nation in the world.

The determination shown by Algeria in qualifying, especially in overcoming an attack on the players' bus in Cairo, shows this team is made of sterner stuff than some may assume.

Fixtures

Algeria Copyright © Soccerphile	Algeria Copyright © Soccerphile

Algeria v Slovenia 13 June; Polokwane
Algeria v England 18 June; Cape Town
Algeria v USA 23 June; Pretoria

Analysis

2010 marks Algeria's third appearance at the World Cup Finals and the current batch of players will be looking to their country's appearance in 1982 for inspiration. Back then, Algeria caused one of the World Cup's biggest ever shocks, beating West Germany 2-1.

In a tough group with England, USA and Slovakia, Saadane's men will find it difficult to progress to the second round stage. However, there is a feeling across Africa that Algeria are a nation on the up and should not be underestimated by any means.

Many of Algeria's players ply their trade in top leagues around Europe, including the impressive Glasgow Rangers centre-half Madjid Bougherra. Portsmouth pair Nadir Belhadj and Hassan Yedba have won plaudits at Portsmouth.

Les Fennecs' success will rest strongly on the shoulders of playmaker Karim Ziani of Wolfsburg. He will need to bring a creative spark to a team that are well organised but sometimes struggle to create chances in front of goal.

Key player: Rafik Saifi

Goals could be hard to come by for Algeria so the performance of star striker Rafik Saifi could go a long way to determining his country's fate in the competition. Saifi scored three goals in qualifying, including the winning goal against Zambia towards the end of the campaign. With 18 goals in 53 appearances, he is Algeria's sixth highest goalscorer of all time.

One to watch: Rafik Halliche

Algeria have an ageing international squad, so the emergence of 23-year-old centre-half Rafik Halliche over the past few season has been welcome.

Halliche shot to prominence with impressive performances for Algerian club Hussein Dey, prompting Benfica to sign the youngster in 2008. The defender is currently impressing on loan to fellow Portuguese league outfit Nacional and he looks capable of staring for club and county very soon.

Coach: Rabah Saadane

Saadane has managed the Algerian national team on a total of five separate occasions, including at the 1986 World Cup Finals.

He has enjoyed considerable success both with club and country, winning the African Champions League on one occasion with Raja Casablanca.

His playing career ended at the age of 27 following a car accident.

Record

1950, 1954, 1962, 1966 1974 First Round; 1986, 2002 Second Round; 1998 Quarter Finals; 1978 fourth place; 1990 Third place; 1970, 1994 Runners up; 1934, 1938, 1982, 2006 Champions.

FIFA Ranking

Predictions & Latest Odds

We think they'll struggle to get out of the group.
World Cup Betting

How they qualified

Beat Egypt in a play off in Khartoum, Sudan.

On the sidelines

Algeria is the second largest country on the African continent.
Buy World Cup Tickets

Soccerphile says

Coach Rabah Saadane admits his side are up against 'heavyweights' in England and the USA and it's hard to look beyond these two teams for qualification from Group C.

An ageing squad and a lack of a genuine goal threat in the side mean Algeria are unlikely to progress out of the group stages in their first World Cup for 24 years.

The Squad

Goalkeepers: Lounes Gaouaoui (ASO Chlef), Faouzi Chaouchi (ES Setif), Raid Ouheb M'bolhi (Slavia Sofia)
Defenders: Abdelakder Laifaoui (ES Setif), Madjid Bougherra (Rangers), Carl Medjani (Ajaccio), Rafik Halliche (Madeira), Antar Yahia (Bochum), Habib Belaid (Boulogne Sur Mer), Nadir Belhadj (Portsmouth), Djamel Mesbah (Lecce)
Midfielders: Hassan Yebda (Portsmouth), Medhi Lacen (Racing Santander), Yazid Mansouri (Lorient), Adlene Guidoura (Wolverhampton), Riad Boudebouz (Sochaux), Djamel Abdoun (Nantes), Foued Kadir (Valenciennes), Karim Ziani (Wolfsburg), Karim Matmour (Borussia Monchengladbach)
Forwards: Abdelkader Ghezzal (Siena), Rafik Djebbour (AEK Athens), Rafik Saifi (Istres)

"The Onside In-Site" Copyright © From 2000. All rights reserved. Soccerphile Ltd.