Algeria prepared for England clash

Algeria midfielder Adlene Guedioura has insisted that his side will show more determination when they face England in Cape Town on Friday. (11/1 to beat England)

The Wolves midfielder came on as a late substitute in the Desert Foxes’ disappointing defeat to Slovenia on Sunday, which left the north Africans with a mountain to climb if they are to progress from Group C. (Algeria 20/1 to qualify).

Algeria, who are making their first appearance in the tournament for 24 years now, have to beat England and the USA in consecutive games to make the last 16

Against Slovenia, Algeria had the upper hand throughout the match, playing most of the football but losing their shape after substitute striker Abdelkader Ghezzal was sent off for two bookable offences, and eventually  went down to a late Robert Koren strike.

However. the midfielder believes his side are over the disappointment of the defeat and are looking forward to the prospect of facing England on Friday.

“It was a disappointing performance because we didn’t deserve to lose,” he said.

“What we have to do is say it is finished now and look forward. Now we have two big matches and we have to be focused for England.

“We showed against Slovenia that we can do something. We will see against England. We need to be focused and we need to be confident.

Both sides fell foul to goalkeeping errors in their first game and the selection between the sticks will be one of the main talking points in the build up to the match.

Robert Green failed to hold Clint Dempsey’s long range shot to give the USA a draw and the Algeria goalkeeper Faouzi Chaouchi was at fault for the Slovenian winner on Sunday. Algeria coach Rabah Saadane has been quick to back his goalkeeper and has guaranteed his place for the game against England. However England coach Fabio Capello has been a little more reluctant to support his goalkeeper and speculation is rife that he is set to be replaced and the midfielder is reluctant to blame his goalkeeper for the error

“I don’t know, I’m not the coach,” he said.

“We saw the England goalkeeper making a mistake so it is not his (Chaouchi’s) fault. I am disappointed for him.

“Everyone makes a mistake in football: sometimes it’s the goalkeeper, sometimes it’s me, sometimes another player.”

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