Keeper poser for Algeria
Friday, 18 June, 2010
Injury may force goalkeeper change in Algeria team tonight.
Algeria goalkeeper Faouzi Chaouchi, whose error gave Slovenia a one goal victory in the first Group C match, is a major doubt for the clash with England after missing training on Wednesday.
Algeria coach Rabah Saadane had vowed to keep faith with Chaouchi despite the high profile mistake, but now he may be forced into a change of personnel.
Saadane, who also coached Algeria at the 1986 finals, said: "We are preparing our second keeper. We won't know if Chaouchi will be fit until possibly the day of the match. It's a setback."
"I was happy to stick with him because it was only one match. We have a young goalkeeper and we must encourage him even though he made a mistake. He needs encouragement and I still have confidence in him. Robert Green? That is the problem of Fabio Capello."
If Chaouchi does not recover in time for the match, 24-year-old Rais M'Bolhi is likely to deputise.
Algeria are bottom of Group C following the opening game results and defeat against England would eliminate them from the tournament before their final game against USA. But Saadane says playing England is all the motivation his team require.
"England is one of the biggest teams in the tournament," he added.
"My players will not need any other motivation than they are playing against England. If my team plays against Brazil or England, it is a big motivation for them."
The Algeria coach also believes England can go a long way in the tournament.
He said: "England are a superb team. I put them among my favourites. There will be very little change against them in terms of personnel, maybe one or two.
"We are the minnows in the group but we will learn things when we play against England, we will see what we are capable of, what is our level, and this is the lesson for the World Cup for Algeria".
Algeria will definitely be without suspended striker Abdelkader Ghezzal who received two yellow cards in the Slovenia defeat.