Algeria have been eliminated from
the 2013 Africa Cup of Nations
following their losses to Tunisia
and Togo in their first two games,
but bowing out in a bright fashion
could define new horizons for the Fennec Foxes and their coach
Vahid Halilhodzic, who could lose
his job if the north Africans,
earlier tipped as one of the
favourites of this edition, record
a complete flop in all three outings. The Bosnian has been able to
rejuvenate the outfit to some
extent since his arrival in July
2011, which his bosses have
publicly commended. The 2013
Afcon was an occasion to showcase the strength of the
promising new outfit, but the
project fell short in South Africa
and he remains the only one
many will blame. Halilhodzic, who formerly coached
Cote d'Ivoire, had vowed to
punish the west Africans on
Wednesday for the abusive
dismissal handed to him by officials
in 2010, but now, he could be the one to bear the punishment upon
their return if he fails for the
third time in a row to record a
win or at worst a draw. Cote d'Ivoire will have few
calculations to make as they take
on Algeria. Coach Sabri Lamouchi
says they are prepared to meet
whoever emerges from Group C in
the quarter-finals, and thus there is no need to fight to finish
on top of Group D or otherwise
to avoid one side or the other.
They will play their game, fix their
faults and focus on the challenges
ahead in the tournament. The Frenchman will likely opt to
observe his second eleven against
the Fennec Foxes on Wednesday
while letting his veterans to
refresh ahead of the quarter-
finals.