Hamdani praises Amoura’s impact as Algeria begin 2027 Africa Cup of Nations campaign with win

Algeria head coach Ibrahim Hamdani said he was satisfied with Mohamed Amine Amoura’s contribution in the 3-1 victory over Zambia in their opening 2027 Africa Cup of Nations qualifier.

Amoura, who plays for French club Nice, created Algeria’s first two goals, although he was unable to add a goal of his own. The result puts the Desert Foxes top of the group with three points, ahead of Togo on goal difference.

Speaking after his first victory in charge of Algeria, Hamdani said the players had responded well to the demand for a winning start.

“I told the players that we had to win, and their reaction and response were very good,” he said. “This is the beginning, and our victory in the first match was deserved.”

Hamdani acknowledged that Algeria still needed to improve defensively after conceding to Zambia.

“Defensively, there are some things we must improve,” he said. “The goal could have been avoided, and we need to make some adjustments as time goes on.

“This is especially important when travelling to another country, because we must know how to prepare properly for the match.”

The Algeria manager also defended Amoura’s performance, explaining that the forward had only recently resumed pre-season preparations with his club.

“I am satisfied with Amoura’s performance,” Hamdani said. “I think not scoring made him more tense, but we must remember that he resumed preparations late with his club, so we were careful about his physical condition.

“He played for 70 minutes and made a positive contribution. Failing to score can happen. He is a striker and knows that scoring is part of his job, but I am completely satisfied with his performance.”

The match also saw Monsef Bekrar, the Al Ahly striker, remain among the substitutes.

Algeria will face Burundi in their second qualifying fixture next Tuesday, with Hamdani’s side looking to maintain its early advantage at the top of the standings.