“We are determined and ready” - Algeria coach Bougherra

Algeria coach Madjid Bougherra is confident that his side has the best mindset ahead of their opening match of the TotalEnergies African Nations Championship 2022 (CHAN) on Friday.

Desert Foxes will face Libya in the first game of the tournament at the Nelson Mandela Stadium in Algiers, the capital of the host nation.

There has been growing concern following three straight draws including the last one against Ghana on Saturday as the Desert Foxes prepared for this year’s edition of the competition designed only for home-based players.

But Bougherra says the results in the friendly matches before the tournament do not in any way deter the team from their main objective.

“Test matches should not be compared with competitive matches. There are several factors that come into play for example, we have been preparing for this competition for a year and a half, for a while we played without fans. Tomorrow, we will face our people and our destiny,” Bougherra explained at the pre-match press conference on Thursday.

The coach of the Desert Foxes says they will be counting on a massive home support at the stadium in Baraki - a suburb of Algiers - as he highlighted the importance of public support, giving a personal anecdote.

The former international defender is aware that sustaining the interest of the fans rests on the performance of his players when the match kicks off.

“I took my son to Qatar for the FIFA Arab World Cup, before that event, he didn't like football. He saw beautiful stadiums and how enthusiastic the fans were and now he follows football. It is important to bring families to the stadium, all generations because football unites us.

“And to satisfy the fans, it will be important to showcase a good game because the Algerians are sports fans and football in particular. We will approach this match against Libya as a final.

"A final is won on details but can also be lost on details. We will have to stay focused even if it will be difficult to communicate on the pitch, because it has been announced that the stadium is sold out.”

Algerian captain Ayoub Abdellaoui said even though they have a similar playing style with their opponents, the Desert Foxes have the edge thanks to their determination to win the tournament.

"Algerian and Libyan football are quite similar. Like us, they rely on defensive solidity to project themselves forward, a counter-attacking game that they love like us,” Abdellaoui said at the press conference.

Asked if they are the favourites to win the competition, he said, "We don't have to hide. We are. We have the quality to deliver. In the team, some have experienced the excitement of major tournaments. The cohesion of the team is our main asset, some have known each other since they were children. Without forgetting that we will play at home.”

The game kicks off 1900 GMT (local time) at the Nelson Mandela Stadium in Baraki.

Algeria and Libya are in Group A of the tournament together with Ethiopia and Mozambique.