Algerian star Baghdad Bounedjah attributed his team’s inability to clinch a victory in their second match at the African Cup of Nations (AFCON) to challenging weather conditions. The tournament is currently taking place in Ivory Coast.
The Algerian team drew 2-2 with Burkina Faso in the second round of Group D at the 2023 African Cup of Nations on Saturday.
“The Greens” rallied back in the dying moments against Burkina Faso to maintain their chances in this continental tournament.
⚽️🔥 Baghdad Bounedjah snatches the equalizing goal for the Algerian team in the dying moments
#TotalEnergiesAFCON2023 pic.twitter.com/DLtO1MJRWz— beIN SPORTS (@beINSPORTS) January 20, 2024
Bounedjah emerged as the hero of the match, scoring both goals for Algeria against Burkina Faso and earning the Man of the Match award.
In a statement to the “beIN Sports” network, he expressed their desire to win against Burkina Faso and, despite the mistakes, “we stayed focused and managed to equalize in the nick of time.”
The player added, “The heat was extremely tough and intense, yet we still have one game left and a chance to snatch a ticket to the knockout stage.”
“We will definitely work on winning the next match, and today, in my opinion, we played a great game except for the errors,” he continued.
Bounedjah talks about the difficulty of the climate conditions
#TotalEnergiesAFCON2023 pic.twitter.com/mXdRSG5JA9— beIN SPORTS (@beINSPORTS) January 20, 2024
The Algerian team had previously settled for a 1-1 draw in their first match against Angola.
Bounedjah and his teammates face a crucial encounter against Mauritania next Tuesday, while Burkina Faso will meet Angola.
Coach Djamel Belmadi said, “The match against Mauritania in the final round will be like a final for us. What we need now is some rest, followed by recharging our batteries.”
“If we want to go far in the tournament, we will face more challenging encounters similar to the one against Burkina Faso,” he added.
Belmadi: “The Mauritania match is like a final for us”
— Ennahar Tv النهار (@ennaharonline) January 20, 2024
Burkina Faso currently leads Group D with 4 points, followed by Algeria with 2 points. Angola is in third place with 1 point, and Mauritania is in fourth place without any points.
This match marks the fifth consecutive time the Algerian team has failed to secure a win in the African Cup of Nations since their victory in the 2019 final against Senegal with a clean goal.
