Soccer-Algeria turn to 'retired' goalkeeper after injuries deplete World Cup choices

Guendouz, however, was injured one week before the Cup of Nations in December and since returning has been unable to regain his place in the starting ⁠line-up at Algerian league leaders Mouloudia Alger. A measure of Petkovic's desperation to find solutions was a call-up for World Cup warm-up matches ⁠against Uruguay and Guatemala in ⁠March for teenager Kilian Belazzoug despite the fact that the 19-year-old has yet to play a match at his French club, Stade Rennais.

Algeria face a goalkeeping crisis for the World Cup that they are hoping ​to alleviate with the return of a player from ​retirement. Oussama Benbot, retired from the national team after ‌being ​an unused substitute at the Africa Cup of Nations in Morocco at the end of the year, could prove the solution to a dilemma that has befallen the side after injuries left ‌Melvin Mastil and Luca Zidane doubtful and Anthony Mandrea ruled out.

The 31-year-old Benbot's form played a large part in his club USM Alger reaching the African Confederation Cup final, where they host Egypt's Zamalek in the first leg on Saturday. Algerian media reports said he had provoked ‌the ire of Algeria coach Vladimir Petkovic with outbursts over his lack of playing time with the Algerian side.

However, the need ‌for a goalkeeper for the World Cup has seen him return to contention for a place in the squad that will be named later this month. Luca Zidane, son of French World Cup winner Zinedine Zidane, was Algeria's first-choice goalkeeper at the Cup of Nations but turned in several undistinguished performances and then last month ⁠suffered fractures ​to his jaw and chin in ⁠a Spanish second-tier match with his club Granada.

Mastil, who plays in Switzerland and won a first cap in March, has since undergone hernia surgery, while Mandrea dislocated ⁠his shoulder in training with his French club Caen and will miss the tournament in Canada, Mexico and the U.S. Mandrea had been Algeria's first choice ​over the past five years but when Caen were relegated to the French third tier last year, Petkovic said he ⁠would not consider selecting a player from as low a league level.

The 27-year-old Zidane, who, like his three brothers, won caps for France at junior level, switched his ⁠international ​eligibility in September to be a backup for Alexis Guendouz, who moved up to be Algeria's first choice. Guendouz, however, was injured one week before the Cup of Nations in December and since returning has been unable to regain his place in the starting ⁠line-up at Algerian league leaders Mouloudia Alger.

A measure of Petkovic's desperation to find solutions was a call-up for World Cup warm-up matches ⁠against Uruguay and Guatemala in ⁠March for teenager Kilian Belazzoug despite the fact that the 19-year-old has yet to play a match at his French club, Stade Rennais. He was not used in the two internationals. Algeria compete in ‌Group J at the ‌World Cup with Argentina, Austria and Jordan. (Writing by Mark Gleeson in ​Cape Town; Editing by Christian Radnedge)