Algeria were left to pick up the pieces after yet another defeat which is a bad omen for next month’s World Cup. Last night’s friendly match between Ireland and Algeria did not live up to expectations. For the Algerians that is. For them there was nothing to write home about. For the Irish, who were playing their last match before going on holiday, it was all one way. They dispatched Algeria with a 3-0 scoreline and went to celebrate with a cool pint of Guinness.

This second consecutive 3-0 defeat in the lead-up to the World Cup finals left the Algerian fans dejected and dispirited. For Saadane, Algeria’s coach, it was back to the drawing board to try and salvage some pride against the UAE in Germany in their last friendly before heading for South Africa.

Disbelief soon gave way to the realization of the bitter truth: Algeria will be without their playmaker in South Africa. The news came as a bombshell throwing consternation among the fans of the Desert Warriors: Mourad Meghni will not be in the World Cup. His knee is out of commission.

Mourad Meghni had valiantly fought for months his injury to try and be among his teammates in this marvelous World Cup adventure which every football player dreams of and wants to be part of. But for Mourad Meghni, it was not to be.

The Algerian national team have started altitude training in Switzerland amid much concern over the fitness woes of some of the most influential members of the squad.
With the upcoming friendly against Ireland on May 28th in Dublin drawing nearer, for some players it is a race against time to be ready for this important match and prove their fitness to the coaching staff before the final list of 23 players is sent to FIFA on June 1st.

The much-awaited list of the 25 Algerian players bound for South Africa has finally been revealed by Rabah Saadane the Algerian national coach.

It is controversial to say the least. This list has raised some eyebrows in Algeria and among the fans of the Desert Foxes around the world. Why include seven new players with no international experience whatsoever when you only have two friendly matches (against Ireland and UAE) prior to the World Cup?

Algeria coach Rabah Saadane has named his preliminary squad for the World Cup.

The 25-man squad was made up largely of those players who contested January's African Nations Cup, where the Desert Hawks finished fourth.