National Team News

[TonyStarks]

This topic will be here for the sole purpose of posting news related to the senior national team (A). Any other news will be deleted. To get things started:

Kraouche Back In NT

Nasredine Kraouche will probably make his return for the Algerian national team in their next game away at Angola after talking to national team head coach Ali Fergani in Belgium. The Charleroi midfielder last featured for the team at the 2004 African Cup. He has been an essential element for the national team, playing 32 games and scoring 3 goals, since his first call up in 1999. Last year his contract with Belgian-side La Gantoise was terminated when he decided to join the national team for the African Cup. He spent almost a year without club before joining Charleroi late last year. He has featured 19 times for the club this year, scoring 3 goals.

[TonyStarks]

Fergani Meets With Bougerra

Algeria's national team coach Ali Fergani met yesterday with FC Nantes' Fouad Bougerra to discuss the possibility of the player joining the national team for the remaining qualifying games. The 23-year old striker has shown some promise, even though playing just 5 games this season. The national team is desperately lacking a striker with the suspension of Abdelmalek Cherrad, and the out-of-form Mansour Boutabout. Algeria play their next qualifier inn Angola on June 5th.

[TonyStarks]

Algeria To Face Mali

The Algerian football federation announced today that the national team will face Mali on June 12th in France, in preparation for the World Cup qualifiers. The national team has a qualifying game June 5th against Angola, as well as June 19th against Zimbabwe. Mali are currently last in their qualifying group with just 2 points from 6 games. The African Cup semi-finalists have had a string of bad results, losing recently 2-1 at home to Togo.

In other news, the Algerian football federation has announced the banning of Ajaccio midfielder Nacer Ouadah from the national team for life. The player has featured just once for the national team, a 2-0 loss against Mali, and has refused recent call-ups from head coach Ali Fergani. The former France junior player left the team at the African Cup because he did not play in the first game against Cameroon.

[TonyStarks]

Algeria Angola Match Postponed

FIFA announced today that the Algeria-Angola match scheduled for June 5th will be postponed to August 17th. FIFA's decision comes due to the virus epidemic in Angola (Marburg virus?). Algeria are looking to fill up their schedule with a friendly, and are already in talks with Egypt.

[TonyStarks]

FIFA Changes Decision On Angola-Algeria Game

FIFA has decided against the postponment of the Algeria-Angola game, originally moved to August 17th. The game will be played on its original date, June 5th. The decision comes after the Angolan federation convinced FIFA that the Marburg virus was blown out of proportion. The Algerians will still face Mali on July 12th in Marseille, France in preparation for their other qualifiers.

[TonyStarks]

Algeria To Face Congo In Friendly

The Algeria Football Federation announced that Algeria will face Congo-Brazzaville on August 16th in a friendly match. The game will take place in the southern French city of Avignon. The Algerians will use this match to prepare for Nigeria, which is scheduled for the beginning of September.