On Saturday, January 1st, 2022, Algeria was slated to engage in a practice match against Gambia in Qatar. This served as part of their preparations for the African Cup of Nations, commencing January 9th in Cameroon.
However, the contest was scrapped due to a significant number of Gambian players being sidelined by Covid-19. The team’s manager, Tom Saintfiet, revealed that a substantial portion – 16 out of the 28 players chosen for the CAN 2022 – were unavailable!
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The Gambian Football Federation publicized this decision on Saturday, concurrently canceling their planned friendly against Syria, set for Wednesday, January 5th. This setback significantly impacts the Scorpions’ preparations for their inaugural CAN appearance.
In light of this unexpected turn of events, the Algerian Federation aims to secure a substitute opponent, potentially a Qatari club, for their practice match.
Algeria is scheduled to play another friendly game against Ghana on January 5th. The Algerian national team will then commence their CAN participation on January 11th against Sierra Leone.
Algeria’s Friendly Against Gambia Scrapped Due to COVID-19 Outbreak
Algeria’s planned friendly match against Gambia on January 1st, 2022, in Qatar, has been canceled due to a significant COVID-19 outbreak within the Gambian squad. A staggering 16 out of 28 players selected for the African Cup of Nations (CAN) 2022 were ruled out, forcing the Gambian Football Federation to call off the game. The federation announced the cancellation, along with their friendly against Syria scheduled for January 5th. This severely impacts Gambia’s preparations for their debut CAN appearance.
The Algerian Football Federation is now seeking a replacement opponent, possibly a Qatari club, for their practice match. Despite this setback, Algeria’s preparations continue with a friendly against Ghana scheduled for January 5th, before their CAN campaign kicks off on January 11th against Sierra Leone. The disruption highlights the unpredictable challenges faced by teams preparing for major tournaments amidst the ongoing pandemic. The sudden cancellation puts a spotlight on the vulnerability of team preparations in the face of unforeseen circumstances, and the adaptability required to navigate such challenges.