Kickoff (Cape Town)
23 October 2008
Algeria's national team coach Rabeh Saadan has stressed that his team's priority will be to secure qualification to the 2010 African Cup of Nations in Angola.
The Algerians have been drawn in Group C of the World and African Cup qualifiers' final stage alongside Egypt, Rwanda and Zambia.
"We want to guarantee qualifying to Afcon by earning a top three spot, and then we'll see about the World Cup," Saadan told Al-Jazeera sports.
While the group winners will directly qualify to the 2010 World Cup in South Africa, the first three teams in each group will make it to the same year's African Cup of Nations.
"It's a tough group especially that we have to face back to back African champions Egypt, who are in the form of their lives," added Saadan.
"They have been dominating the continent on both club and international levels."
Saadan also refused to rule Zambia and Rwanda out of contention confirming that both sides showed a lot of potential in the first and second phase.
"Rwanda showed they were no pushovers when they beat Morocco 3-1 in the last round before finishing second of the group and only on goal difference."
"Zambia are always present in the African Cup of Nations and they have a lot of experience."
It is worth noting that Algeria's last CAN participation was in 2004 where they beat Egypt 2-1 in the first group round.
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