World Cup Prep: Algeria beat Netherlands in friendly

Algeria's game management strategy
The first lesson is probably the most important. Against a Dutch team ranked among the best nations in the world and led by players such as Virgil Van Dijk, Frenkie de Jong, Ryan Gravenberch or Cody Gakpo, Vladimir Petkovic’s men have long played without the ball. The statistics illustrate this orange domination with 17 shots against only 8 for the Algerians.

Yet the Fennecs never broke up. Compact, disciplined and supportive, the team displayed a maturity rarely observed in recent years in the face of very high-level opposition. This ability to resist under pressure could become a major asset during the World Cup, especially against Argentina in the first match of group J.

Luca Zidane scores points
If Algeria remained alive throughout the meeting, it owes much to Luca Zidane. The goalkeeper of Grenada has multiplied the decisive interventions against Gakpo, Reijnders, Kluivert and Malen. Back from a jaw injury, the 28-year-old doorman reassured everyone in every sector. Reflexes, outings, and reading the game.

In a still open goalkeeping hierarchy, this performance could weigh heavily in the last choices of Vladimir Petkovic. A few days before the World Cup, the Franco-Algerian has probably made his most convincing match under the jersey of the Greens.

The midfield pair Bentaleb - Aouar - Zerrouki finds its balance
Aligned in a 4-3-3, the trio composed of Nabil Bentaleb, Houssem Aouar and Ramiz Zerrouki responded present in a particularly demanding context. Bentaleb brought his experience and the quality of the follow-up. Aouar offered technical solutions in the rare phases of possession while Zerruki did valuable work at recovery. The symbol of this influence remains Bentaleb’s offering for Anis Hadj-Moussa’s winning goal in the 86th minute. Against a team renowned for the quality of their midfield, the Algerians showed that they could compete in intensity and commitment.

A bench capable of changing the course of a match
The other major satisfaction concerns the depth of staff. In the second half, Petkovic made a wide review of the squad with the entries of Ibrahim Maza, Farès Chaïbi, Jaouen Hadjam or Anis Hadj-Moussa. Far from weakening the team, these changes brought more freshness and dynamism. The Algerian coach can congratulate himself on having obtained a positive response from his substitutes. In a tournament as demanding as a World Cup, this wealth of solutions could make the difference.

Anis Hadj-Moussa, the unpredictable weapon
The hero of the evening is called Anis Hadj-Moussa. Having entered the game in his stadium at Feyenoord, the winger lit up the match with a high-class sequence to score the only goal of the match. Beyond this achievement, he has consistently brought danger in rapid transitions. Its percussion, technical quality and ability to eliminate in small spaces offer a profile different from that of other Algerian attackers. A few days before the World Cup, Hadj-Moussa may have won more than just a goal. He strengthened his candidacy for an important role in the offensive rotation of the Fennecs.

Anis Hadj-Moussa delivers the Fennecs
A success for trust, but areas that need to be corrected
Not everything was perfect, however. Algeria has endured long sequences and sometimes had difficulty getting the ball out properly under the Dutch pressing. Against Argentina, future opponents in the first match of the World Cup, the Fennecs will have to manage to keep more possession to avoid constantly defending. But overall, this victory is a strong signal sent to the rest of the world.

Twelve years after their last participation in the World Cup, Algerians arrive in the United States with new certainties. Beating the Netherlands at home does not guarantee anything for the future, but it shows that Vladimir Petkovic’s men now have the mental and tactical resources to look great nations in the eyes.