Algeria Face Armenia in Crucial Pre-World Cup Friendly
Algeria continue their preparations for the 2014 FIFA World Cup with a key friendly against Armenia this Saturday in Sion, Switzerland. The match marks the first of two warm-up games for the North African side, who will also face Romania on June 4 ahead of their Group H opener against Belgium in Belo Horizonte on June 17.
The Algerian squad, currently in training camp in Switzerland, are looking to extend their impressive run of form. The Fennecs have not lost a match since their hard-fought World Cup qualifying play-off victory over Burkina Faso in November 2013, and confidence remains high among the squad.
Defender Carl Medjani, a mainstay in Vahid Halilhodžić’s side, underlined the importance of maintaining momentum in the build-up to Brazil.
“We will approach all matches with the objective of winning them. This will be the case against Armenia and Romania as we aim to maintain our momentum and head into the World Cup with high morale,” Medjani told local media.
Armenia, meanwhile, arrive in Sion having edged out the United Arab Emirates in a high-scoring 4-3 encounter earlier this week in Geneva. While their performance lacked defensive cohesion, the result highlighted their attacking potential—something Algeria will need to be wary of.
With only days left before the World Cup kicks off on June 12, Halilhodžić will use these friendlies to fine-tune his starting XI and assess the form of key players, including Tottenham Hotspur midfielder Nabil Bentaleb, who joined the national team earlier this year.
The Greens will be under pressure to deliver results that match the growing expectations back home. Drawn in a challenging group alongside Belgium, Russia, and South Korea, Algeria will need to hit top form if they are to advance beyond the group stage—a feat they have not achieved since 1982.
For now, however, all eyes are on Saturday’s test against Armenia, as the Fennecs continue their journey towards Brazil in search of World Cup redemption.
