Algeria coach Vahid Halilhodzic says his side needs some luck Tunis – Hamdi Mustapha The manager of the Algerian national team, Vahid Halilhodzic, has admitted his side are in a "tough position" after losing their African Cup of Nations Group D opener against Tunisia .
Midfielder Youssef Msakni scored in the 91st minute to given Sami Trabelsi's men three vital points in a group which also has favourites Ivory Coast and Togo.
Speaking at the post-match press conference, Halilhodzic said: "We are now in a tough, possibly complicated, position but we're still in with a chance of qualification. I cannot blame any of the players for their performance. No other team played and created like we did, but it’s the final touch and good luck that we missed today."
The manager said he was angling for a victory after seeing the patten of the game. "I fielded four strikers in the last 20 minutes to exploit the opponents' weak fitness levels and achieve a win, but things went the other way and they scored in injury time," he said. "At the end of the day, the best team doesn't always win," the Bosnian added.
Meanwhile, Trabelsi praised his squad's performance and acknowledged Algeria's superiority for parts of the match. He also confirmed that he won't be making many changes for the next two group-stage matches. The Tunisian coach confirmed that striker Issam Jemâa suffered a knee injury, adding his absence will impact on the team's offensive power.