Ibrahim Hamdani admits difficulty in winning against Togo and warns of the return leg

Ibrahim Hamdani, the coach of Algeria, acknowledged the difficulties his players faced during their 1-0 victory over Togo in the match that took place on Saturday evening as part of the third round of the Africa Cup of Nations 2027 qualifiers. He warned that the return match scheduled for next Tuesday will be more challenging, given the expected weather conditions, and the scenario of the match is similar to the game against Burundi in the second round.

Algeria secured a valuable victory with a goal from defender Ramy Bensebaini in the 76th minute, after a pass from Anis Hadj Moussa. The 'Desert Warriors' earned three more points, bringing their total to 7 points at the top of Group 9, 3 points ahead of second-placed Zambia.

Despite securing three points, Algeria faced technical and tactical difficulties against Togo's defensive setup, before managing to score the winning goal in the second half. This raised questions among fans about the new coaching staff's ability to improve the team's performance in the upcoming phase.

Hamdani spoke about the details of the match during the press conference after the game, saying: "We achieved an important victory against an opponent who caused us a lot of troubles and problems."

He added: "The match was not easy, and we knew we would face a team that was retreating and defending in numbers. I had hoped that our attacking play would be better, but we lacked vertical play and speed in the attacking transition in the final meters."

Algeria's coach explained that the nature of the match imposed difficult tactical responsibilities on his players, saying: "The task was tough because we were required to create play and prevent the opponent from exploiting counter-attacks. In any case, the performance improved relatively in the second half, and we succeeded in scoring the goal at the right time and achieving victory."

Hamdani emphasized the need to find offensive solutions against teams that adopt a defensive style similar to Togo's playing method, stating: "We need to find solutions when facing teams that play this way. We could have delivered a better performance in terms of offensive activation compared to what we worked on before the match."

He also pointed out that the pitch at the Hussein Ait Ahmed Stadium did not assist the players as required, explaining: "The pitch did not help the players, as the grass was a bit slippery, which made positioning and relying on it difficult, and affected the speed of the attacking transition."

Regarding the return leg scheduled for next Tuesday, the head coach of the Algeria national team predicted that the task would be more complicated, especially with rising temperatures and humidity. He said: "The return match will be tougher, especially since the temperatures and humidity will be high."

He added: "I warned the players before the last match against Burundi, and I expect the same scenario in the match against Togo."

In his assessment of the defensive side, Hamdani praised the performance of the back four, confirming the emergence of positive indicators, especially in ball recovery and winning duels.

He explained that he is not only focusing on the performance of the four defenders and the goalkeeper, but is also seeking to develop the entire defensive system, stating: "What I want to improve defensively is not just the defense line itself, consisting of four defenders and the goalkeeper, but the system as a whole. I mean the commitment to defensive duties from the center forward to the goalkeeper."

The defender Achref Abada received clear praise after delivering an impressive performance against Togo. He said: "Achref Abada played a great match; he is a player who needs confidence because he sometimes lacks it. He is a player coming from the Algeria league and deserves support."

Algeria's coach addressed the condition of defender Mohamed Azzi, who was unable to finish the match due to physical struggles and an ankle injury, explaining: "Mohamed Azzi found it difficult to complete the match and requested a substitution after suffering physically and complaining of an ankle injury."

He added: "At first glance, the injury seems minor, but he will undergo medical examinations before traveling to Togo," noting that Ridouani put in an acceptable performance after coming on as a substitute.

Regarding the competition for the goalkeeper position, Hamdani has rejected the notion that Melvin Mastil's participation against Togo has settled the identity of the first-choice goalkeeper, emphasizing that it is still too early to discuss this matter.

He said in this regard: "It is premature to talk about determining the identity of a specific goalkeeper; I wanted to continue relying on Mastil, who was on time and delivered a great match."