Algiers – National team coach Vladimir Petkovic has expressed his satisfaction following Algeria’s victory over Sudan. He believes this result represents an ideal start for the ‘Fennecs’ in the Africa Cup of Nations, both in terms of performance and the final outcome.
During the post-match press conference, Petkovic emphasized that a strong start is a crucial element in continental tournaments. He stated that the team managed to enter the competition in the right way, giving the players an important morale boost for the rest of the journey.
The national coach did not hide his admiration for the level of play demonstrated by captain Riyad Mahrez. He stressed that Mahrez was the best player in the match without a doubt, having shown a strong character and practically responded to recent criticisms by scoring two decisive goals that directly contributed to securing the victory.
Petkovic also clarified that the win was not as easy as the score might suggest, pointing to the great physical intensity of the Sudanese team, which complicated some periods of the match, before the balance shifted after the numerical disadvantage in the ranks of the opponent following the red card.
‘This victory gives us confidence and strengthens our ambitions,’ Petkovic stated. He affirmed that the national team will continue to work with great focus in order to go far in the tournament, while dealing with each match separately.
