Algeria keeper Zidane likely to start at Cup of Nations

Dec 13 : Algeria goalkeeper Luca Zidane, son of French World Cup-winner Zinedine, looks likely to start at this month’s Africa Cup of Nations after the injured Alexis Guendouz was left out of the squad announced on Saturday.

Guendouz hurt his knee on Monday in the Algerian league and did not make the 28-man selection for the tournament in neighbouring Morocco, leaving Zidane next in line.

The 27-year-old second son of Zinedine Zidane, who plays for Spanish second-tier side Granada, made his debut for Algeria in a World Cup qualifier in October after switching international allegiance, having played for France at junior level.

Zidane’s grandparents hail from the Kabylie region of Algeria and he is expected to be ahead of Oussama Benbot and former first-choice keeper Anthony Mandrea in the pecking order for the finals in Morocco, where Algeria will compete in Group E against Burkina Faso, Equatorial Guinea and Sudan.

Mandrea won a surprise recall after being dropped when coach Vladimir Petkovic said he did not want to pick a keeper playing in the third tier of French football. Mandrea’s club Caen were relegated from Ligue 2 at the end of last season.

Algeria's squad includes striker Baghdad Bounedjah, who netted the winner in the 2019 Cup of Nations final against Senegal in Cairo.

The notable absentee is Olympique de Marseille attacker Amine Gouiri, who required shoulder surgery after the World Cup qualifier against Uganda in October and is not expected to play again until February. Injury ruled him out of the last Cup of Nations finals in the Ivory Coast two years ago.

Squad

Goalkeepers: Oussama Benbot (USM Alger), Luca Zidane (Granada), Anthony Mandrea (Caen)

Defenders: Ryan Ait-Nouri (Manchester City), Youcef Atal (Al Sadd),