Algeria unbeaten at home for more than two years: prediction for Algeria vs Niger
The friendly between the national teams of Algeria and Niger will take place on October 6 at the Hocine Aït Ahmed Stadium. Both teams head into the encounter after disappointing results in Africa Cup of Nations qualifying: Algeria drew 2-2 with Burundi, while Niger lost 0-2 to Gabon.
Algeria: a strong home run and consistent results in friendlies
Brahim Hemdani's team opened their Africa Cup of Nations qualifying campaign with a confident 3-1 victory over Zambia. In their next match, Algeria unexpectedly found themselves chasing the game against Burundi after conceding twice in the opening 12 minutes. Goals from Mohamed Belloumi and Adil Boulbina rescued a 2-2 draw for the team.
Algeria have looked far more convincing in friendlies and are unbeaten in six consecutive matches of this type. During that run, the team recorded five wins and one draw — a goalless 0-0 against Uruguay. The Algerians have also avoided defeat at home for more than two years, giving them a clear psychological edge heading into the clash with Niger.
Niger: one win in eight matches and problems in attack
Nabil Neghiz's team recently defeated Lesotho 2-1 but failed to build on that success. In their next qualifying match, Niger lost 0-2 to Gabon and found themselves third in their group after two rounds. This setback was another sign of the team's inconsistency in recent games.
Niger have won just one of their last eight matches and failed to score in four of them. In addition, the team kept a clean sheet only once during that period, highlighting problems across several areas of the pitch. Their away record in friendlies is also poor — Niger have gone 12 consecutive matches without a win in this competition.
Match facts and head-to-head record
- Algeria are unbeaten in their last six friendlies.
- Niger have won just one of their last eight matches.
- Algeria have suffered just one defeat in their last 12 meetings with Niger.
The hosts can settle the outcome through their attack: prediction for Algeria vs Niger
Algeria clearly have the edge in terms of attacking quality and look particularly strong on home soil. Belloumi is in good form, while Boulbina, Maza and Zorgane are capable of applying constant pressure between the lines. After the draw with Burundi, the hosts will be eager to round off the international window with a convincing victory.
Niger can look to occasional counterattacks and set pieces, but the team's current scoring record remains far too poor. Against the backdrop of 12 consecutive away friendlies without a win and inconsistent defensive performances, it will be extremely difficult to contain Algeria for the full 90 minutes. If the hosts score early, the match could develop into a high-scoring affair.
