National coach Vladimir Petković stated that he takes full responsibility after the loss to Guinea in the third round of the 2026 World Cup qualifiers.
In a press conference held after the match in the conference room at Nelson Mandela Stadium in Baraki, Petković expressed his deep sorrow for losing the three points.
Petković said, “We had clear scoring opportunities, but we did not capitalize on them, and we feel sad.”
He added, “We controlled the match and created chances, and we feel disappointed with the final result.”
The national coach pointed out that individual mistakes by the players cost them the match, calling for a need to boost morale and stay positive, as there are many important upcoming matches that need to be won.
He continued, “We have a match in three days against Uganda, and we must prepare well physically and mentally. We still have seven matches ahead of us, and we will play them to win.”
Regarding the absence of AC Milan midfielder Ismaël Bennacer, Petković confirmed that bringing Bennacer into the game would not have suited the nature of the confrontation and the flow of play.
It is worth noting that the national team lost to Guinea with a score of 2-1 in the third round of the 2026 World Cup qualifiers.
For more details, visit the official website: dzwatch.dz.
Vladimir Petković
