CHAN: Algeria lacked physical freshness in Guinea draw – Bougherra

Algeria coach Magid Bougherra admitted it was difficult for his side to break down Guinea following their 1-1 TotalEnergies CAF African Nations Championship (CHAN) draw at Nelson Mandela Stadium in Kampala, Uganda on Friday.

Ismaël Camara’s fine strike midway through the second half had put Guinea on course for a vital victory in their fight to stay in CHAN, but Algeria struck courtesy of Soufiane Bayazid to level matters with only two minutes remaining, and preserve their unbeaten record.

“It was a tough match, on a demanding pitch. We lacked physical freshness and more finishing efficiency. We had chances to ‘kill’ the game and didn’t take them. In African domestic football, finishing is still an area that needs improvement,” Bougherra told CAFOnline.com.

He warned: “If we want to go through, we have to win the next game against Niger. The destiny is in our hands.”

Bougherra further praised his players despite the draw: “Even without a brilliant day, we didn’t give up and kept pushing for the goal until the end. That’s the mentality that can take us far.”

The draw kept Algeria’s fate in their own hands ahead of their last group match, while Guinea hopes of advancing came to an abrupt end.