Algeria’s victory over Niger leaves Brahim Hemdani with more questions than answers

Despite making seven changes, Algeria were forced to rely on familiar players to beat Niger 2-1 in a friendly that did little to clarify Brahim Hemdani’s options.

The match was intended as an opportunity for the Algeria manager to widen his selection pool. Hemdani changed most of the side that started against Burundi, handing Abdelatif Ramdane, Sohaib Nair and Ilan Kebbal their first starts for the Verts.

However, although Algeria recovered from falling behind to win, the performance suggested their squad depth remains a work in progress.

The hosts struggled to establish an understanding throughout the first half. They kept possession but moved the ball too slowly to unsettle Niger’s defensive shape, while their vulnerability during transitions repeatedly exposed the reworked defence.

Niger’s opening goal in the 12th minute, scored by Konan N’Dri after a series of Algerian errors, was therefore no surprise.

The lack of cohesion was evident across the pitch. The new defensive partnership found it difficult to move as a unit, the midfield lacked speed in its build-up play and Algeria’s attacking movements rarely came together.

Kebbal attempted to inject energy and created an early opportunity, but too often found himself without team-mates making the same run or offering the required support.

It would be unfair to judge the new players solely on this performance. Yet, after the imbalances seen in the previous match against Burundi, the extensive rotation was supposed to provide Hemdani with alternative solutions. It produced few convincing ones.

Algeria improved considerably after the interval, raising the tempo and pressing with greater intensity. Mohamed Bachir Belloumi, who had come on before half-time for the injured Ibrahim Maza, levelled with a free-kick in the 53rd minute.

Adel Boulbina then won a penalty, which Ramy Bensebaini converted in the 72nd minute to complete the turnaround.

The way Algeria changed the game was significant. Their comeback was driven by players Hemdani had already selected in the previous two matches, rather than those brought into the starting line-up for this experiment.

The result showed that making wholesale changes does not automatically create effective squad depth. Hemdani has several useful options available, but he does not yet have two interchangeable teams.

Against a Niger side Algeria were expected to overcome, the manager had to turn back to established players to regain control and avoid an awkward result. After two rounds of qualification, the core group remains ahead of the challengers.

Even that established group, however, has yet to look entirely convincing.

Nothing is closed off for Ramdane, Nair, Kebbal and the other players tested. But on Tuesday in Tizi-Ouzou, even in a friendly, none of them did enough to make Hemdani reconsider his current pecking order.