Madjer lists Mahrez, Bentaleb, Slimani for Algeria, Nigeria clash

Super Eagles’ Kelechi Iheanacho (left) challenges Algeria’s Mehdi Abeid during the first leg of their 2018 FIFA World Cup B qualifying match in Uyo last year. Algeria will host Nigeria…on November 10. PHOTO: AFP.

Despite the fact that Algeria has nothing to gain from their last Russia 2018 World Cup qualifier against Nigeria, Coach Rabah Madjer is still bent on assembling the best of the country’s players for the last qualifying game against the Super Eagles.

Nigeria has already picked the only ticket from Group B of the African qualifying series, which means that the November 10 game is inconsequential as far as qualifying for the competition is concerned.

Yesterday, Madjer, who assumed leadership of the team following Milovan Rajevac’s resignation as manager of the Fennecs, announced a 23-man roster for the match scheduled for the Mohamed-Hamlaoui Stadium in Constantine next week.

Algeria have lost four of their five qualifying matches in Group B, which also houses Cameroun and Zambia.

In the team listed by Madjer are three goalkeepers, nine defenders, five midfielders and six strikers.

Notable among the players are former English Player of the Year, Riyad Mahrez of Leicester City and his teammate, Islam Slimani.

Nabil Bentaleb, who scored in the Algerians’ 1-3 loss to the Eagles in Uyo, is also in the squad alongside Porto midfielder, Yacine Brahimi, RSC Anderlecht’s Sofiane Hanni and Napoli defender, Faouzi Ghoulam.

Algeria Squad
The goalkeepers in the team are Faouzi CHAOUCHI (MC Algiers, Algeria), Chamseddine RAHMANI (CS Constantine, Algeria) and Abdelkadir SALHI (CR Belouizdad, Algeria).

To vie for positions in the defence are Mohamed Khouthir Ziti (ES Setif, Algeria), Youcef Attal (KV Kortrijk, Belgium), Faouzi Ghoulam (SSC Napoli, Italy), Houari Ferhani (JS Kabylie, Algeria), Aissa Mandi (Betis Sevilla, Spain), Liassine Cadamuro -Bentaïba (Nîmes Olympique, France), Rami Bensebaïni (Stade Rennais, France), Ayoub Abdellaoui (USM Alger, Algeria) and Carl Medjani (Sivasspor, Turkey).

The midfielders are Abderraouf Benguit (USM Alger, Algeria), Nabil Bentaleb (FC Schalke 04, Germany), Ismael Bennacer (Empoli FC, Italy), Yacine Brahimi (Porto FC, Portugal) and Abdelmoumen Djabou (ES Setif, Algeria).

Joining MAHREZ and Slimani in the attack are Zinedine Ferhat (Le Havre AC, France), Baghdad Bounedjah (Al Sadd Sport, Qatar), Hilal El Arabi Soudani (Gnk Dinamo Zagreb, Croatia) and Sofiane Hanni (RSC Anderlecht, Belgium).

Immediately after the dead rubber game against Nigeria on November 10, Algeria will meet Central African Republic in a friendly four days later.