Algeria U17 NT

[TonyStarks]

Algeria's under 17 national team's head coach, Toufik Korichi, announced the group of 25 players that will take part in the teams training session this weekend. The team is preparing for the 2007 Under 17 African Cup that will take place in Togo. The players called up:

Fekkih, Dahi, Bensalem, Moumen, Benchikoun, Boukara (MC Alger), Kada, Benaceur, Benharoun (WA Tlemcen), Belaid, Zitouni, Kerbouh, Bourahla (USM Alger), Bouldjouidja, Chermat (ES Sétif), Zitoun , Benarbia (OM Ruisseau), Maoudji (JS Kabylie), Aila (NA Hussein Dey), Allili (CA Batna), Bouzidi (RC Boumerdès), Benkouider, Benmouhoub (USM Harrach), Chorfi, Zermane (RC Kouba)

[TonyStarks]

Alger will be the host for a regional tournament for Maghreb nations in the coming months according to local newspaper El Watan. The tournament will group together Algeria, Tunisia, Morocco, Egypt and Libya. The tournament will serve as preparation for the qualifiers to the 2007 Under 17 African Cup of Nations which will be held later this year.

[Edited by TonyStarks on 11th February 2006 at 03:40]

[TonyStarks]

Algeria was chosen as the host of the 2009 Under 17 African Cup. The decision was made earlier today at the CAF headquarters in Cairo. Algeria has never qualified for the competition since it became a tournament. It used to be played on a home-away basis and the final 3 teams would make it to the World Cup. 8 teams will participate and the top 4 will play at the 2009 World Cup. The 2007 edition will be held in Congo.

[TonyStarks]

Paris Saint Germain announced on its official website that defenders Saad Ichalalene and Idriss Ouamara have both been called up by the Algerian U18 national team. Ichalalene, who has been a regular in the junior national team, was the one who recommended his teammate Ouamara to the FAF. Both players are members of PSG's reserve team. This link could also open up the door for another youngster on PSG's reserve team, Julien Chendri. The midfielder is of Algerian origin but does not hold the Algerian passport. However, he has expressed his desire to represent Algeria. The FAF has not released any details about the upcoming camp.

[TonyStarks]

Algeria will face Mauritania in the preliminary round of the qualifiers for the 2007 African U17 Championship to be held in Togo. The first leg will be held on the weekend of 14-16 July in Alger and the second leg will be held two weeks later in Mauritania. The winner of the matchup will face Tunisia in the next round. The winner of that second matchup will have to go through another round of qualifiers to advance to the African Cup. The final tournament will be held from the 10th to the 24th of March of 2007.

[TonyStarks]

The U17 National Team will hold a training camp starting from the 17th of March ni Alger. The camp will include five days of training before hosting a tournament that will include junior squads from Tunisia, Morocco, Libya and Egypt, which will run from the 22nd to 31st of March. The games will be played in 3 locations in Alger: Rouiba, Reghaia-Tipaza and Cheraga. The teams will be housed at Safir-Mazafran Hotel in Zeralda in the outskirts of Alger.

The list players called up:

Fekkih A. - Dahi M. - Moumen B. - Benchikoune A. - El Kadi G - Bensalem Z. (MCA) - Benacer B.- Kada Y. (WAT) - Habchi Z. - Rebouh - Saidoun A. - Zitouni A (USMA ) - Benarab T - Zitoun R. (OMR) - Maoudj M. - Amoura T. - (JSK) - Kherbache S. - Bouzar K. (CRB) - Mebarki R. - Charmat W. - Zitti M. (ESS) - Bouzidi F. (RC Boumédés) - Chorfi Y. (RCK) - Karoub - D.(WAM) - Khedaria S. (Toulouse) - Abdellah S. (USMB)

[TonyStarks]

The tournament will kick off today in Alger with the hosts Algeria facing neighbors Tunisia at Rouiba Stadium. Libya and Morocco will not participate.