Present at the U17 Africa Cup of Nations for the first time since 2009, the Algerian junior national team inherited an affordable group. A competition that will be done without the great hope of Chelsea, Sami Tlemçani, who recently opted for Morocco. Born of an Algerian father and a Moroccan mother, the goalkeeper had the choice between the two North African selections like six other of his compatriots who took the same path of the Moroccan neighbor before him. In this context and after the establishment of a “task force” by the FAF, one wonders the real efficiency of this unit whose mode of operation remains very opaque.
A victory over the Libya (3-2), a draw against the Tunisia (1-1) and here is again the Algerian U17 selection in the African Cup of Nations, a first since 2009. This edition was also held in Algeria and had seen the “mini” Fennecs losing in the final against Gambia (3-1). Since then, total nothingness until this qualification as difficult as it was unexpected for the men of Mohamed Lacete. Housed in group B, young Algerians will face the Congo Brazzaville, Tanzania and Nigeria during the final phase which will be played at Morocco (March 13-26).
An affordable group for El Khadra who will have to finish within first two from hen or among the two best thirds of this first round to hope to qualify for the quarter-finals. One thing is now certain, this Africa Cup of Nations will not be done with the Chelsea goalkeeper, Sami Tlemcani yet born of an Algerian father. Indeed, and according to several corroborating sources, the Algerian-Moroccan – approached by the two Maghreb Federations – finally decided to represent the Moroccan national team. Another failure for the FAF against its neighboring counterpart.
The Algerian Task Force again proves its laxity …
Ayman Aourir (Bayer Leverkussen attacking midfielder), Sami Tlemcani (Chelsea goalkeeper), Hamza Bouhadi (Bordeaux striker), Marwane tahar (Bordeaux attacking midfielder), Amine Messousa (Lille attacker), Elias Benali | (Forward Leganes UD) and Reda Kerzazi (left side US Dunkirk), they are seven Algerian-Moroccans who can evolve with one of the two selections and having joined the Atlas lion cubs more or less recently. Algerian fathers (Tlemcani, Benali, Kerzazi) or Algerian mothers (Aourir, Bouhadi, Tahar and Messousa) these young people were not or very badly approached by the Algerian Football Federation represented by the Task force set up at the dawn of the year 2020. Regarding the specific case of Sami Tlemcani, the player would have been constantly solicited by the Royal Moroccan Football Federation, and this, for several months. Information confirmed by Mohssen, specialized in the search for new nuggets of Algerian origin and manager of the Facebook page ” Algerian Talents “. According to exchanges WhatsApp with the main concerned, verified by us, the approach with the player of Chelsea was sloppy as for a certain Riad Tahar from AC Milan. Yet the signature of the former guardian of Paris FC towards the London capital was widely publicized in October 2020. Immediately, the Moroccan Federation, which had already approached the player in the past, increased its pressing with the family circle of the player. The Algerian side took concrete ties with the player only during this month of February, that is to say the day before the CAN, while the goalkeeper of 1m90 had finally given his agreement to the Morocco after pushing back two attempts.
Since Bennacer, Morocco has recovered… 15 DZ players!
In these seven cases and according to our information, some players were waiting for a sign from the FAF which, moreover, never came, like Hamza Bouhadi, Ayman Aourir or the powerful attacker of LOSC, Amine Messousa. The latter, whose agent is Algerian, finally opted for the Cherifian selection and has already been summoned during a preparation course. In this context and even if these elements may still change sports nationality until selection A, one wonders the real added value of the famous Task Force – FAF Radar unit. dedicated to the deployment of its policy of detecting young binational footballers abroad Can we read on the site of the Algerian Football Federation. According to some figures, since the enlistment of the excellent pickaxe Ismaël Bennacer, born of a Moroccan father, Algeria convinced three young people born of mixed parents, the medium relay of Bordeaux Mehdi Zerkane (selection A, Algerian father), the young Sochaux Samy Faraj (U20, Algerian mother) and the Parisian Husseyn Touati (U20, Algerian mother). On the other hand, the Morocco has recovered a total of 15 players in its various youth teams even if for the time being none has yet reached the A selection of Vahid halilhodzic. Which side will the next Bennacer play in? The Algerian-Moroccan rivalry is in full swing!
The full CAN U17 program:
CAN U17: Algeria will play its first match against Congo on March 14, then Tanzania on March 17 and finally Nigeria on March 20, 2021! All 3 matches at El Bachir Stadium (Mohammedia) #CANU17 # U17 #Maroc2021 #Fennecs pic.twitter.com/ziyC5Ngicr
– La Gazette du Fennec (@LGDFennec) February 25, 2021
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