Algeria midfielder Matmour: We can make next stage if we play our style

Algeria: We can beat US if we play our style

UVONGO, South Africa — Algeria has no fear of the United States at the World Cup.

Algeria’s surprising 0-0 draw with England saved it from becoming the first team to exit the World Cup. Now the north Africans are targeting a win over the Americans and a spot in the next round.

“If Algeria plays to its potential we don’t need to worry about our opponents,” midfielder Karim Matmour said Sunday. “If we play our style of football we can beat anyone.”

Algeria, with only one point in Group C, must beat the United States on Wednesday in Pretoria for any chance of advancing to the World Cup’s knockout stage for the first time. England plays Slovenia at the same time in the tight group’s other match.

Slovenia leads the group with four points, followed by the United States and England with two points apiece.

Matmour knows it will be tough against a higher-ranked U.S. team — 14th for the Americans, 30th for the Algerians. The U.S. team salvaged a 1-1 draw against England and then rallied from 2-0 down at halftime against Slovenia for a 2-2 draw.

Algerian teams in the past have featured highly skilled players who did not play well together, and that has hurt them against superior teams.

Now, veteran coach Rabah Saadane has honed the combinations.

“I play for the team. That is every player’s job,” Matmour said. “Today’s football is very physical. Skill is just for the final meters.”

But the Desert Foxes will need to turn on the skill when they get within range. They have yet to score at this World Cup, losing 1-0 to Slovenia before the 0-0 draw with England.

Even so, Matmour said the players are drawing confidence from their run at the African Cup of Nations earlier this year. They lost their first match, but recovered to get to the semifinals, where they lost to eventual champion Egypt.

Medhi Lacen, a midfielder who plays for Racing Santander in Spain, said he knew little about the United States before the tournament, but has been impressed by its fortitude so far.

“I’ve seen their matches here and they look good,” he said. “They showed against Slovenia that they’re capable of fighting back.”

Algeria showed it can handle the pressure of must-win matches when it exacted revenge for its African Cup semifinal defeat by beating Egypt 1-0 in a highly charged one-match playoff in Sudan to reach the World Cup for the first time in 24 years.

And it will attempt to do it again in Pretoria — as a team.

“Our strength is playing collectively,” captain Anther Yahia said. “We know if we don’t play as a team we can’t win.”