Algeria’s judiciary causes a catastrophe

After beating Côte d’Ivoire (3-1) in their third match on Thursday in Douala, the defending champions Algeria will not go beyond the group stage of the 33rd African Cup of Nations. A disaster for a country that has dominated in recent years on the African continent. Several reasons could explain the disaster.

A little overconfidence

The Desert Foxes, crowned with their success in 2019, arrived in Cameroon with full confidence. A legitimate confidence in light of the victorious competition in Cairo, and also because of an impressive streak of 35 unbeaten matches. However, these two achievements must be kept in arms, Algeria won the African Cup in Egypt without producing an impressive match. Their success was based on collective qualities and desire. It is always difficult to transfer that desire from one competition to another and it is rare to see a team that retains its title. In addition, Algeria’s undefeated streak is impressive, perhaps too much because its brilliance obscures the opponents the Algerians have already faced. In this wonderful series, the foxes did not meet one of the leaders of the continent (Cameroon, Senegal, Ghana …). The hardest teams they faced were Burkina Faso and Egypt. Countries ceded by men Balmadi draw.

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The conditions are not favorable for the game of foxes

Algeria played their three group stage matches at the Jaboma Stadium in Douala, a beautiful and new stadium where the playing field was poor and uneven. (The French company responsible for the stadium’s lawn has not found a solution to make it workable.) Well-known players and amateurs in the game of possession, the Algerians have struggled to put their principles into play.

Moreover, and Djamel Belmadi made no secret of this, the playing conditions were particularly difficult for this Maghreb team which, at this stage of the year, is accustomed to cooling temperatures. If Algeria is ready in Qatar, the temperatures and humidity are not like Douala. This is how the economic capital of Cameroon on January 11 at 2 pm, match time against Sierra Leone, showed 34 degrees and 74% humidity in the air. What cut the legs of the Algerians.

Having become an emblem of Algeria’s success, Djamel Belmadi knows his first major setback at the top of the selection list, but his popularity really shouldn’t be tarnished. Selection should recover from this elimination in the form of an insult with only one small point taken from a group but within the reach of the foxes. Because the 2022 World Cup qualifiers are coming fast.