Madjid Bougherra could miss Algeria’s African Cup of Nations qualifier against Morocco on Sunday due to injury
Algeria and Rangers defender Madjid Bougherra is keeping his fingers crossed after picking up a hamstring injury while playing in the Old Firm derby against Celtic in Sunday’s Scottish League Cup final.
The injury could rule the central defender out of Algeria’s match at home to Morocco next Sunday in the 2012 Nations Cup qualifiers.
“I know nothing yet about my prospects of playing in the game. I will undergo scans to determine the extent of the injury,” Bougherra, who helped Rangers defeat Celtic 2-1 to win the League Cup, said in an interview with local newspaper El-Heddaf.
“It will be like a disaster for me if I miss the Morocco match. I have been waiting for that meeting for a long time because it’s crucial to our chances of reaching the Nations Cup.
“I still hope that I can make this game.”
Bougherra is an integral member of Algeria’s national team, which is known for its resolute defense.
He was part of the Desert Foxes’ squad which played in last year’s World Cup in South Africa, where they bowed out at the group stage.
Algeria lie at the bottom of Group D with one point from two matches, three behind second-placed Morocco. Central African Republic top the group with four points.
The leaders of the 11 groups and the best two runners-up will qualify for next year’s Nations Cup finals, which will take place in Equatorial Guinea and Gabon.
