Algeria wrapped up its World Cup preparations on Tuesday June 9 with a friendly against Bolivia at Rock Chalk Park in Kansas, the last stop before its opener against reigning champions Argentina on June 16.
The match was part of a deliberate decision by the Algerian Football Federation to test itself against South American opposition, and it came after a run that has given Óscar Villegas reason for confidence: a 7-0 win over Guatemala, a 0-0 draw with Uruguay and a 1-0 victory over the Netherlands last weekend. Bolivia arrived in a far different place. Its meeting with Algeria was only the second friendly of the current window, following Saturday’s 0-4 defeat to Scotland in Harrison, New Jersey, and the team is still looking for a way back to the World Cup for the first time since 1994 after missing out to Iraq in the inter-confederation play-offs.
Lineups had been announced and the players were already warming up when the match took shape as more than a tune-up for Algeria. It was a final test against a South American opponent before the games begin to count, and a reminder of how uneven the two teams’ routes into this window have been.
For Villegas, the value of the fixture was immediate and practical: one more look at his side against a team preparing for a World Cup opener, one more response after the loss to Scotland, and one more chance to measure whether Bolivia can use this window to reset. For Algeria, the next step is clear and much bigger. Argentina waits on June 16, and this was the last rehearsal before the defending champion enters the picture.
