AS Roma winger Houssem Aouar and Algeria’s new call-ups are preparing for their upcoming Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) qualifier against Uganda, scheduled for Sunday. The Desert Foxes, led by coach Djamel Belmadi, are aiming to maintain their dominant form in the qualifiers.
The Algerian squad has welcomed several new players, including Himad Abdeli from Angers SCO, and four USM Alger (USMA) players: Oussama Benbot, Zineddine Belaid, Haithem Loucif, and Aymen Mahious. The team began their training on Tuesday, June 13, at the National Technical Centre of the Algerian Football Federation.
Houssem Aouar, one of the key players in the squad, expressed his excitement about joining the national team. “I am very happy to be here. Everything went well for me in terms of integration, as I already knew some players, so it is good for me and much easier,” said the 24-year-old.
Aouar, who previously played for Olympique Lyon, has long awaited the opportunity to represent Algeria. “I have been waiting for this moment for a long time. Now I hope everything goes well. I’m coming here with a lot of humility because even though I’ve achieved good things with my club, I need to show that I’m ready to contribute to the success of the national team and win many titles.”
With 12 points from four matches, Algeria is comfortably at the top of Group F, making their qualification for the 2023 AFCON nearly certain. Their next challenge will be against Uganda’s Cranes, who sit third in the group with 4 points, just behind Tanzania. Due to ongoing renovations at Kampala’s Mandela National Stadium, the match will be held at Japoma Stadium in Cameroon at 6 PM East Africa Time (EAT) on Sunday, June 18.
This fixture is crucial for Uganda, as they seek to improve their position in the group standings, while Algeria aims to continue their perfect record in the qualifiers.
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