Algeria, The Stars of a Dim African Outing at Brazil 2014

So now all our flag bearers to Brazil have bowed out, some embarrassingly dejected and one with heads held high! Cameroun’s Indomitable Lions, Ivory Coast’s Les Elephants and Ghana’s Black Stars all left the home of football a crestfallen lot, heads held low and a heartbroken fan base back home and across the entire continent. So much went wrong, from wrangles over match bonuses, disciplinary cases and all. But as a continent once again sets on a painful four-year wait until Russia 2018, one team must surely go home heads high and get the reception that champions deserve. It is not Nigeria’s Super Eagles, despite going out in the Round of 16, to Les Bleus, No. The team is Algeria’s Desert Foxes, under the tutelage of Vahid Halilhodzic. They landed in Brazil as a team that not many in their wildest imagination ever gave a chance of hitting big. Of all the five African flag bearers to the football carnival, nobody gave them any serious consideration. But once Brazuka got rolling, a close 2-1 loss to Belgium, followed by a comprehensive 4-2 thrashing of South Korea, suddenly got heads talking. A hard-earned 1-1 draw with a determined Russia side, all but sealed their place in the last 16! By this time, Africa;s big boys; Cameroun Ghana and Cote D’Ivoire had all been eliminated. Suddenly, African hopes were in the hands of a team that was initially un-fancied. In their winner takes it all, Round of 16 clash against a well-oiled German machine, Desert Foxes held it tough, gallantly fought and withstood the German power. After a an absorbing 90-minute affair in Porto Alegre, the game was tied at 0-0. Extra time was needed to separate the two. Less than two minutes into the 30-minute extra time, Andre Schrulle tapped an inviting Thomas Muller cross past the Algerian keeper. Sadly, a Mesut Ozil goal deep into the second half all but sealed Algeria’s fate. However, they scored a consolation as the clash wound to an end. Desert Foxes had bowed out, albeit honorably so. As Africa goes into a sojourn of fo otball soul-searching, we must all laud Algeria, the unfancied team to Brazil that came to touching distance of a last-8 spot, at the expense of a tough European team! They did us proud, excelled in their group and came second, scored a record four goals in single match, the first ever by an African team in the history of the world cup, and gallantly matched a tough Germany side in their Round of 16 thriller. To cap off a memorable tourney for the Algerians was a first-ever appearance in the Round of 16! Africa is once again disappointed and downcast a s her boys miserably failed once again, but to Algerians, the boys stood up and matched some of the world’s best, never mind that few if any, gave them a chance! Halilhodzic and his charges put some smiles on the African faces. As Les Elephants, Indomitable Lions and Black Stars, disappointed the great hopes that Africa had in them, Super Eagles put some smiles on the faces. The Desert Foxes lit up our faces even more, they reached for the stars and gave it a gallant fight. As Africa once again writes a sad chapter in her football history, Algeria shines on the brighter side. From the underdogs to the near giant-killers at Brazil 2014! A proud moment in Algerian soccer! Reach the writer at jeanmutua@yahoo.com, mutuamaundu14@gmail.com