Africa-Press – Uganda. Madjid Bougherra never promised fireworks. He promised focus.
And after three demanding group-stage matches across East Africa, Algeria’s place in the CHAN 2024 quarter-finals isn’t the result of dazzling performances—it’s the reward for a team that refuses to get carried away.
“It is good to travel,” Bougherra said with a smile after sealing qualification. “When you stay in one place for a long time it can become routine.”
That single line captures the character of this Algerian squad—calm under pressure, flexible in unfamiliar surroundings, and ready to treat every city as a fresh challenge.
This year’s CHAN is historic, the first ever co-hosted by Kenya, Uganda, and Tanzania. Some teams have struggled with constant movement, but for Bougherra, travel has become a source of strength.
“Nothing has changed because of the travel,” he explained. “At least the players have a chance to see Kenya, Uganda, and Tanzania.”
And it shows. Whether in Kampala or Nairobi, Algeria have looked composed and organized—never distracted, never in a rush.
Their final group game in Nairobi brought its own challenges. Heavy rain turned the Nyayo National Stadium pitch into a slippery trap, temperatures dropped, and Niger arrived with nothing to lose. But Bougherra didn’t look for excuses.
“The pitch was nice… maybe just a little heavy because of the rain, but it was okay,” he said.
On the field, Algeria created chances through Soufiane Bayazid and Mehdi Merghem, but it was defensive discipline that delivered the result they needed. Niger pushed late, but never broke through.
Group C was brutal. Uganda, South Africa, Guinea, and Niger all took points off each other. Qualification came down to the very last kick.
“Our group was tough, and you can see that qualification came in the last game,” Bougherra noted.
Uganda finished top after a thrilling 3–3 draw with South Africa, while Algeria ended level on six points with the Bafana Bafana, edging second place on goal difference. It wasn’t romantic—it was resilient.
As soon as the final whistle blew in Nairobi, Bougherra was already looking ahead.
“We already achieved our first objective, which was to reach the quarter-final. Now our new objective is the next game.”
There was no shouting, no celebration—just another “final” on the horizon, this time in Zanzibar.
A New Chapter Ahead
Algeria now enter the knockout rounds with a reputation: hard to beat, tactically smart, and mentally grounded. In a tournament where momentum can shift in an instant, those qualities matter as much as goals.
The tri-nation hosting has already made CHAN 2024 historic. Now it’s Algeria’s turn to make their own history.
Next stop: Zanzibar.
Next mission: win the quarter-final—one game at a time.
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