Algerian star Baghdad Bounedjah has pointed to harsh climate conditions as the cause of his national team’s failure to secure a victory in their second match at the African Cup of Nations (AFCON), held on the Ivory Coast.
The Algerian team ended up in a 2-2 draw with Burkina Faso in the second round of Group A at the 2023 AFCON on Saturday.
“Les Verts” (The Greens) made a late comeback against Burkina Faso, thereby keeping their chances alive in this continental tournament.
Bounedjah played the hero’s role by scoring both of Algeria’s goals against Burkina Faso. He was awarded the Man of the Match title.
In a statement to the “beIN Sports” network, he said that their desire was to win against Burkina Faso, and despite the mistakes, “we focused and managed to equalize at the last minute.”
The player added, “The heat is very tough and high; nevertheless, we still have one game left and a chance to snatch the ticket to the round of 16.”
“We will definitely work on winning the next match, and today, in my opinion, we played a great game despite the mistakes.”
The Algerian team had previously settled for a 1-1 draw in their opening match against Angola.
Bounedjah and his teammates are gearing up for a decisive confrontation against Mauritania next Tuesday, while Burkina Faso will face Angola.
Coach Djamel Belmadi expressed, “The match against Mauritania in the last round will be akin to a final. What we need now is some rest and then to recharge our batteries again.”
He went on to say, “If we want to go far in the tournament, we will face more tough matches similar to the Burkina Faso encounter.”
Burkina Faso currently leads Group A with 4 points, followed by Algeria with 2 points. Angola is in third place with 1 point, and Mauritania is in the fourth spot without any points.
This marks the fifth match where the Algerian team has been unable to secure a victory in the African Cup of Nations since their 2019 triumph in the final against Senegal with a solitary goal.
