African Nations Championship
Group C |
Algeria v Guinea 5pm |
Niger v South Africa 8pm |
Kampala, Uganda: Algeria head coach Madjid Bougherra has vowed to focus on the present and pursue CHAN 2024 glory, insisting that past records hold little weight in the ongoing TotalEnergies African Nations Championship.
Speaking ahead of Friday’s Group C clash at Mandela National Stadium, Bougherra praised the growth of African football, particularly the emergence of home-based players breaking into national teams.
“African championships have evolved over the past five years, and many players active in local leagues have now gone on to play for their national teams. Many African federations have realised that academies are the foundation of football projects. Young talents are shining, and this is their opportunity to attract the attention of their national team coaches,” he said.
The former Fennecs defender emphasized that Algeria’s focus is entirely on the current tournament, rather than past performances.
“The past doesn’t matter in football. We must focus on today and tomorrow. Therefore, our results in our two previous participations in the CHAN tournament don’t matter as much as focusing on our current participation,” Bougherra said.
He added that every match must be approached with the intent to win. “Every coach must approach each match with the intention to win, regardless of the competition.”
Algeria will face Guinea in a crucial Group C showdown at 5 pm as they look to secure their position in the knockout stages, and later today, Niger and South Africa will meet in another Group C clash under the lights in Kampala.
Niger, led by Harouna Doulla, are fighting to stay alive after two defeats, while Molefi Ntseki’s South Africa requires one more win to inch closer to a last-eight berth.
South Africa hold the advantage in head-to-head encounters, winning two of their three previous CHAN meetings with Niger. However, Niger will recall their 2011 goalless draw that famously eliminated Bafana Bafana.
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