Algeria faces Lomé without Maza and Hadj Moussa through injury

Algeria will have to do without Ibrahim Maza and Anis Hadj Moussa for their trip to Lomé on Tuesday in the 2027 Africa Cup of Nations qualifiers. The two players are leaving the Algerian squad through injury, according to a statement published on Sunday, the day after the 1-0 victory against Togo in Tizi-Ouzou. A win in the return match would secure the Greens’ qualification for the next Africa Cup of Nations.

Their absence deprives manager Brahim Hemdani of his two most prominent attacking players. Maza, attacking midfielder at Leverkusen, has established himself as an undisputed starter since the Africa Cup of Nations played nearly a year ago. Hadj Moussa, winger at Feyenoord, is enjoying a remarkable start to the season and has taken over from Riyad Mahrez on the right side of the Algerian attack — he had indeed provided the assist for Ramy Bensebaini on Saturday.

This double absence brings to six the number of players lost by Hemdani since the start of the gathering, including Hull City winger Bachir Belloumi. The manager should rely on Amine Gouiri and Mohamed Amoura in attack, potentially supported by Farès Chaïbi and Farès Ghedjemis. Options from the bench remain limited.

Himad Abdelli, who came on as a substitute against the Togolese and capable of playing as a number 10 as he regularly does at Marseille this season, could this time be given a starting role to compensate for the absences.