Gaborone – The coach of the Botswana national football team, South African Moriena Ramoripuli, stated that the Algerian national team, which his side will face on Friday (14:00 Algerian time) in the fifth round of Group Seven of the 2026 World Cup qualifiers, includes experienced players capable of managing games away from home and achieving good results.
Ramoripuli explained in statements to the “Pana African Football” website that “the match will be difficult for both teams. The Algerian team has players who are able to manage games away from their home ground and secure positive outcomes.”
He added, “Many believe that the heat factor will be in our favor, but we are facing an experienced team. Algeria has a very strong squad – it is dynamic, fast in attack, and well-organized.”
He also said, “We must not make the mistake of thinking that playing at home guarantees us a good result, and we will work hard to deliver a strong performance.”
The coach emphasized that he is counting heavily on the team’s striker and top scorer in the Botswana league, Tiro Sithole, a player from Gaborone Galaxy, to “score against Algeria.”
Referring to Sithole, he said, “He perfectly fits my style of play, which I will implement in the next two matches. I rely on him greatly to defeat the Algerian team,” noting that the team’s approach “will change significantly against Algeria compared to the following match against Somalia.”
Algeria’s Preparations
On their part, the Algerian national football team held their first training session late Tuesday evening in preparation for this match, following their arrival in Gaborone. The session took place on one of the pitches of a private football academy near their accommodation, with all players participating.
Captain Riyad Mahrez and his teammates will continue their preparations with another training session in Gaborone on Wednesday before traveling to Francistown early Thursday morning.
After four rounds of matches, Algeria leads Group Seven with nine points, tied with Mozambique, and three points ahead of Botswana, Guinea, and Uganda, who each have six points. Somalia sits at the bottom of the group without any points.
This article highlights the anticipation surrounding the upcoming clash between Botswana and Algeria in the World Cup qualifiers. While Botswana’s coach acknowledges Algeria’s strength and experience, he remains optimistic about his team’s chances, particularly relying on key players like Tiro Sithole. Meanwhile, Algeria continues its preparations confidently as they aim to maintain their lead in the group standings.
