Before the
match:
In this group it is Algeria
who must not lose because they will be mathematically eliminated otherwise.
Any result will provide
for an exciting finale on matchday three, at least involving Nigeria, Liberia
and Mali. Liberia could go up into pole position here: a simple victory
today will mean they would go as group leaders into the last match playing
for a draw against Nigeria to advance.
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group D
New reports on arguments
about unpaid bonusses marr the preperations of Liberia and repeatedly the
Liberian players who feel cheated and suspect officials to withhold money
have threatened to leave the tournament. Concentration is hardly possible
on a background like this but Liberians have proved in the first match
that they are able to improvise and come up with a competitive challenge
for a quarter final place anyway.
Algeria did convert the
few but big occcasions against Nigeria and will do better here today. With
zero points the key to advancing is winning and the key to winning is scoring
goals. A difficult thing at this Nations Cup.
odds:
Algeria go into the
match as surprise 40% percent favorites (odds: 5/4 frac. 2.25 dec.), Liberia
are rated 30% (2/1 frac. 3.0 dec.), a draw 31% (19/10 frac. 2.9 dec.).
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1st half:
-Liberia in red socks blue
shorts and white shirts. Algeria in white socks, white shorts and green
shirts
-('2) already one attacking
attempt on each side
-('8) great pass into
the run of Prince Daye, who's running path cuts the defender out of the
game and puts a low shot past the keeper - 1:0
-('10) Great counter attack
by Liberia involving Debbah and Daye and almost the second goal as Daye's
ball goes just wide
-('11) Algeria penetrate
into the penalty area, but well defended
-('12) Algeria: Dziri with
a good scene, blocked in the last moment
-('14) dangerous Agerian
attack down the right hand side, a Liberian tackle inside the penalty area
but neither penalty nor corner says the referee
-Algeria try to cut with
halflong or long through balls directly into attack and it looks dangerous
-('25) Ghanzi has to be
substituted by Akrour because of te injury resulting from the ('14) minute
incident
-('25) Algeria sleep at
a Liberian free kick cross as Zizi Roberts is all alone to head only directly
on the keeper. A wasted opporunity.
-a very entertaining
match so far with space in midfield because of the fast playing through
into attack on both sides
-('30) Algeria: Akrour scrambles
for the Dziri thrugh ball inside the Liberain penalty area - a dangerous
moment eventually cleared by the defenders
-('34) Algeria: Liberian
keeper Crayton with a great save against a deflected long range attempt
by Kraouche. On a second attempt he drops the ball in front of the feet
of Saifi who fires across the bar from close range
-the same old Algerian
problem...
-('35)('36) Algeria create
more goalscenes
-('44) Algeria: Akrour hits
the goalpost with a surprise volley from the right hand side
-('45) long ball into
the penalty area. Crayton error and Akrour scores into the empty goal -
1:1
halftime 1:1
A very entertaining match.
Both teams with several mistakes and quick through balls into attack. Algeria
take apart the vulnurable Liberian defence with all means but waste opportunities.
Liberia has chances, too, through their sangerous forwards who seem more
capable of converting.
2nd half:
-('50) yet the match lacks
precision and the first half goal scenes
-('54) Algeria: Rahou comes
in for Slatni
-('57) after a Liberian
error Algerian defender Haddou Moulay runs into the penalty area but cannot
get off a proper shot
-('58) Weah who already
has yellow makes a foul off the ball and gets away with it
-with Algeria more careful
less chances - until:
-(60) Algeria: long ball
by Saifi on Dziri who is through but gets stopped by the keeper. A secnond
Algerian player had been with hime but maybe the time was too short for
a side pass.
-Dziri is a very good
midfielder with usually a good eye for other players
-('65) Tasfaout comes in
for Dziri
-('67) match breaks open
and a good opportunity on either side
-will we see the first
team that scores two goals in one game at this Nations Cup?
-('71) Liberia: Dionysius
Sebwe comes in for the injured Zizi Roberts
-('72) Liberia prrove
their better scoring potential: Kelvin Sebwe curves a direct shot from
20 meters around the Algerian keeper into the far corner - 2:1
-('73) Liberia in the penalrty
area again but Debbah can't make it dangerous
-('75) Crayton save against
a tricky Saifi free kick from the left hand side
-('78) the Algerian keeper
comes out of the goal against Prince Daye. He closes the way to the goal
from tight angle
-('79) Liberia: Weah with
a shot wide
-('80) Tasfaout gets stopped
for a corner
-('80) Algeria pressure
the Liberian goal but Tasfaouts shot gets blocked
-('83) Algeria: Crayton
closes the angle for Akrour who shoots from close range left to the goal
-('86) Algeria: long cross
and a header set up Tasfaout who fires a volley from 20 meters against
the goalpost. No chance for the keeper, tough luck for the Algerians
-('87) Liberia: Prince Daye
through on the other side but his attempt goes wide
-the match now wide open
-('89) free kick for Algeria
as Tasfaout has been stopped by a foul. But Saifis execution goes high
across the bar.
-('injury time) #4 Kraouche
with a desperate sensational rocket from nearly 30 meters into the corner
- 2:2
final score 2:2
Algeria good football but
defensive vulnerabilities and the less dangerous attackers concerning goal
scoring. Tough luck added to it and so coach Madjers team almost faced
an undeserved exit from the tournament.
Now both teams still have
it in their hands: By beating their opponents on matchday 3 they both could
advance. (More detailed: Algeria might have to win by two goals depending
on the outcome of the other match and Liberia have a backdoor chance if
both matches end in a draw)
Nigeria |
2 |
1-0 |
4 |
Liberia |
2 |
3-3 |
2 |
Mali |
2 |
1-1 |
2 |
Algeria |
2 |
2-3 |
1 |
first two teams qualify for
quarter-finals
match data as published
by CAF Online:
Referee: Divine Evehe (CMR)
Ass. Referees: Farag
Wagih (EGY), G. El Hawary (LBY)
Scorers:
Liberia : Prince
Daye 7, Kelvin Sebwe 72
Algeria : Nassim
Akrour 45, Nasseredine Kraouche 90
Attendance: 4,000
Teams:
Liberia: 1-Louis
Crayton; 20-Jimmy Dixon, 9-Zizi Roberts (5-Dionysius Sebwe, 71), 17-George
Gebro, 21-Thomas Kojo (2-Fallah Johnson, 47), 6-Kelvin Sebwe, 12-Oliver
Makor, 3-Edward Dixon (19-John Menyongar, 70), 14-George Weah, 10-James
Debbah, 15-Prince Daye
Algeria: 1-Lounes
Gaouaoui; 2-Yacine Slatni (17-Slimane Raho, 54), 3-Moulay Haddou, 5-Mounir
Zeghdoud, 20-Mahieddine Meftah, 21-Mohamed Bradja, 6-Yazid Mansouri, 4-Nasseredine
Kraouche, 8-Billel Dziri (10-Abdelhafid Tasfaout, 65), 9-Farid Ghazi (15-Nassim
Akrour, 25), 18-Rafik Saifi
Cautions:
Liberia: 10- Debbah
(33), 14- Weah (55), 9- Zizi Roberts (60), 2- Johnson (88),
Algeria: 4- Kraouche
(35), 15- Akrour (68) |