AFCON 2017 Qualifiers: Algeria Arrive in Lesotho Ahead of Crucial Group J Clash
The Algerian national football team has arrived in Maseru, the capital of Lesotho, ahead of their 2017 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) qualifier scheduled for Sunday.
Led by head coach Christian Gourcuff, the squad touched down aboard a special flight from Pretoria, South Africa, where they had been based for a four-day acclimatisation camp to prepare for the high-altitude conditions expected in Lesotho.
The Algerian delegation, which included senior team officials and was headed by Algeria’s ambassador to South Africa, Mr. Abdenacer Belaid, was warmly received upon arrival. The squad underwent standard customs formalities at Maseru International Airport, where they spent around 20 minutes before boarding a team bus to their hotel, The Lesotho Sun—a luxury residence situated in the heart of the capital.
Gourcuff’s men will hold their final training session on Saturday at the Setsoto Stadium, at the same time as Sunday’s kick-off (3:00 p.m. local time), to fine-tune their tactics and assess the pitch conditions.
Midfielder Saphir Taïder (Bologna, Italy), who is expected to play a key role in central midfield alongside Walid Mesloub, joined the rest of the squad in expressing confidence ahead of the second Group J fixture. Algeria will be aiming for a second consecutive victory after their dominant 4-0 win over Seychelles in the opening round.
Lesotho, meanwhile, will be looking to bounce back after suffering a 1-0 defeat to Ethiopia in their first group match.
Victory for the Desert Foxes on Sunday would see them take full control of Group J, especially after Ethiopia dropped points in a 1-1 draw with Seychelles earlier in the day.
