Algeria’s national team, comprised largely of reserve players, saw their Arab Cup title defense come to an abrupt end last night, succumbing to the United Arab Emirates in a tense quarterfinal penalty shootout (6-7). The match, held in Qatar as part of the FIFA Arab Cup 2025, dashed hopes of retaining the crown won in 2021.
Les Verts, coached by Madjid Bougherra, began their campaign with a goalless draw against Sudan. They then found their stride, delivering a dominant 5-0 victory over Bahrain and solidifying their progress with a 2-0 win against Iraq. This promising momentum, however, met a resolute UAE side in the quarterfinals.
UAE’s coach, Cosmin Olăroiu, tactically neutralized the Algerian squad, successfully dragging the match into a penalty shootout where luck favored the Emiratis. The significant presence of players with Portuguese, Brazilian, and Argentinian origins representing the UAE also played a crucial role in the outcome.
Several factors contributed to Algeria’s failure to retain the Arab Cup title. A primary issue was the limited preparation time. The team entered the tournament after only two training camps in October and November, coupled with their participation in the African Nations Championship. This compressed schedule afforded Bougherra insufficient time to fully prepare his players.
Another challenge was fostering cohesion within the squad. Frequent changes to the roster, particularly following the African Nations Championship (CHAN) held in Tanzania, Kenya, and Uganda from August 2nd to 30th, hindered the development of a stable and unified team dynamic. The two friendly matches against Palestine (October) and Egypt (November) proved inadequate to fully enhance the team’s collective performance.
Furthermore, injuries plagued the Algerian squad throughout the Arab Cup. Bougherra had called up 23 players for the Qatar tournament, including experienced players such as Brahimi, Benzia, Nace, Slimani, Atal, and Tougai. However, these injuries impacted the overall team performance and depth. The absence of key players at crucial moments proved detrimental to Algeria’s chances.
