Morocco-Algeria Clash in High-Stakes African Nations Championship Quarterfinal

The tension will be present at this quarter-final match between Morocco and Algeria which will start at 8 pm at the Al Thumama stadium in Doha (Qatar). It is a derby that looks like a final, believes the former Moroccan international, Abdessalam Ouadou, who expects a very tough match, "with a lot of intensity, rhythm and aggression".

"I would have liked this match to be played later, because the Algeria-Morocco match is a final before the final. I am even convinced that the team that qualifies on Saturday for the semi-finals will have a better chance of winning the trophy," he said in an interview with the Algerian site Competition.dz, hoping that "this derby will be spectacular for the pleasure of the supporters of the two countries".

For the former coach of Mouloudia d’Oujda, "all footballers dream of playing this kind of match". "For a Moroccan footballer, playing against Egypt or Algeria, it makes you advance 3 or 4 years in experience," he stressed, specifying that the players will give everything to win this match "for the prestige".

"We will play a football match, consequently, it is recommended to depoliticize the debates; afterwards, there will be a winner and a loser, it is the law of sport," also said Abdessalam Ouadou, urging the Algerian and Moroccan players to put aside the political tensions to "delight the two peoples by developing spectacular football", no doubt with intensity and aggression, but "in compliance with the rules".

Morocco is the winner of the last edition of the Arab Cup which took place in 2012. It had won 900,000 euros. The winner of this edition will leave with 4.5 million euros, the second finalist team with 2.7 million euros and the third and fourth with 1.8 and 1.3 million euros respectively.