Belmadi: "I have a bench as good as the players on the pitch"
Algeria made a fast start to their 2026 World Cup qualifying campaign, winning both games so far, against Somalia and Mozambique
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Leaders of Group F with two wins from two games in qualifying for the 2026 World Cup, Algeria are up and running thanks to their players. The coach of the Fennecs was particularly pleased with his side's win away to Mozambique (0-2). Algeria ground along until the 69th minute before finding a way past the Mambas. Fares Chaibi broke the deadlock against the Mambas, who were playing at home, before Ramiz Zerroukine added a second in the 80th minute. The Fennecs are more firmly than ever at the top of their group G, with six points. "We had a good start to the game, with quite a few chances, and we could have scored. Gouiri hit the post, for example," Belmadi said.
Read more on the same subject: 2026 World Cup (Q): Fixtures and results for matchdays 1 and 2
With fairly experienced players such as Atal, Mandi, Bensebaïni and Aït Nouri, as well as Bentaleb, Feghouli, Mahrez (captain) and Slimani, the side often escape from tricky situations even if they are not always brilliant. "As I told the players, we are a group, and I know that what I have on the bench is as good as those on the pitch. After that, it is a question of choices based on various technical considerations. It is the strength of a group to be able to count on everyone. We made some very, very good substitutions. That was also the case against Somalia, where Slimani came on and scored, with Adam Ounas providing the assist," the Algeria head coach, Djamel Belmadi, went on.
Jim CESAY