Algeria, who surprised many by holding England to a goalless draw on Friday, played to their potential when they decided to switch back to a strategy that showcases their defensive qualities. The Arab's sole representatives at the World Cup kept alive their hopes of reaching the second round at the expense of England, who were naturally overwhelming favorites to beat their lowly opponents. They not only prevented Fabio Capello's side from scoring, but also restricted them to same tame efforts which barely troubled Algeria's stand-in keeper Rais M'Bolhi. Algeria frustrated their fancied opponents because they put into effect a cautious and defensive plan that made life difficult for England. A packed five-man midfield featuring some defensive-minded players such as Medhi Lacen and Hassan Yebda disrupted England's attempts to push forward and mount threats. Wing-backs Foued Kadir and Nadir Belhadj joined the three defenders Algeria coach Rabah Saadane fielded whenever England had the ball to keep the likes of Wayne Rooney, Emile Heskey and Steven Gerrard at bay. "Our performance was an honorable one for all Arabs. We achieved our target against England," the ecstatic-looking Saadane said after the game. "I was aware that England would struggle if they faced an organized side. "Our collective play and short-passing game annoyed our opponents and that's what we wanted." Secret of Success
England were clearly frustrated Alegria's defensive strategy was the secret to their successful World Cup qualifying campaign that culminated in their 1-0 victory over bitter rivals Egypt in a one-off playoff clash. They couldn't replicate such a fine form during January's African Cup of Nations when they opted for a more courageous approach without taking into consideration their true capabilities, which are purely defensive. Although the Desert Foxes reached the semi final, they conceded 12 goals in five games, including an embarrassing 4-0 defeat by eventual champions Egypt. They should close down spaces against the United States in their last group-stage game at the World Cup, just like they did against England. But they still have something to improve. Algeria should beat the United States to stand any chance of booking a last-16 berth so they need to better their counter-attacking moves. Karim Ziani and Belhadj skipped past England's right-back Glen Johnson on several occasions during Friday's encounter but could not go further. They tried their luck from distance but their shots were not so accurate. "We deal with each match when we play that match and we only have one match left and the situation in the group is still open for every team to qualify," Saadane commented. "We need to use our potential to qualify for the next round," the calm 64-year-old coach, who was also in charge of Algeria when they made their previous World Cup appearance in 1986, added.
