Desert Foxes out to outfox the Black Sable Nntelopes
Algeria will be targeting nothing but a win in their 2023 Africa Cup of Nations Group D opener against Angola at the Stade de la Paix in Bouake on Monday.
Kick-off is at 10:00 pm CAT.
CURRENT FORM
The Desert Foxes are enjoying a 12-match unbeaten run across all competitions coming into this encounter having thumped Burundi 4-0 in a friendly match on 9 January.
However, Algeria - who are two-time African champions - are winless in their last three games in the Afcon finals having lost twice and drawn once at the 2021 edition.
Meanwhile, Angola are enduring a seven-match winless run across all competitions having drawn 0-0 with DR Congo in a friendly encounter on 6 January.
Palancas Negras (Black Sable Antelopes) are also winless in their last eight matches in the Afcon finals - losing four games and drawing four - a run that started at the 2012 edition.
TEAM NEWS
Algeria duo Rayan Ait-Nouri and Houssem Aouar have been persuaded to switch their international allegiance from France and they are expected to make their Afcon debut.
Angola, on the other hand, will be without Helder Costa as the former Leeds United attacker asked to be excluded from the Afcon squad due to lack of fitness as he is a free agent.
WHAT WAS SAID?
Algeria head coach Djamel Belmadi
"It is important to start well, it is important in a tournament that the first game you should negotiate it perfectly; you need to take the three points. So we respect Angola," Belmadi said on CAF Online.
"If we analyze the last three results of Angola, they do not concede many goals, they defend very well, they are a tough team to play. So, first of all is winning the first game and then we go to the next; it’s battle after battle."
Angola head coach Pedro Gonçalves
“We
Read on supersport.com
