Algeria A coach Madjid Bougherra faces a defining challenge on Friday when his side meets Guinea in the African Nations Championship (CHAN) for local players.
The Greens sit second in Group C with four points, collected through a 3-0 win over Uganda and a 1-1 draw against South Africa.
With an extra game in hand after a scheduled bye on Matchday 3, victory over Guinea would secure their place in the knockout stages of the tournament, jointly hosted by Uganda, Tanzania and Kenya until 30 August.
However, Bougherra must navigate three significant hurdles to achieve that goal.
The first is the impact of the competition’s five-team group format.
The week-long break has offered much-needed rest but risks breaking the team’s competitive rhythm.
Similar situations have already proved costly for others, most notably Morocco, who fell to a 1-0 defeat against Kenya after their own rest period.
Maintaining focus and intensity after time away from the pitch will be a key task for the Algerian technical staff.
Secondly, the ongoing transfer window has brought distractions.
Several Algerian players have caught the attention of overseas clubs, with playmaker Akram Bouras emerging as a prominent example.
The 23-year-old MC Alger midfielder is on the verge of a move to Bulgarian side Levski Sofia, who have activated his release clause, valued between €700,000 and €800,000, along with a 25% resale clause.
While such opportunities highlight the squad’s talent, they can also unsettle preparations for crucial fixtures.
The third challenge lies in the team’s finishing.
Despite creating numerous scoring chances in their opening matches, Algeria have been wasteful in front of goal.
In response, Bougherra has dedicated additional training sessions to improving accuracy in the final third and sharpening the quality of the decisive pass.
These adjustments come against a backdrop of concerns over fatigue and the risk of injury, with several squad members emerging from demanding domestic campaigns.
Friday’s contest will therefore test not only Algeria’s technical and tactical capacity, but also their mental resilience and squad management.
Success against Guinea would remove any uncertainty over progression and allow Bougherra to plan for the knockout phase with renewed confidence.
For now, the challenge is clear: maintain sharpness after a break, keep external distractions at bay, and find the clinical edge that could turn promise into a sustained push for continental glory.
