Soccer-Zidane experiment for Algeria backfires at Cup of Nations

By Mark Gleeson

RABAT, Jan 11 (Reuters) - Algeria's hopes of solving a goalkeeping crisis with a big name flopped at the Africa Cup of Nations and they will need to look for alternatives before the World Cup kicks off later this year.

Luca Zidane, the son of World Cup winner Zinedine Zidane, was plucked from the obscurity of Spanish second tier to help Algeria with a dearth of goalkeeping talent but it was a gamble that backfired on Saturday.

Zidane's goalkeeping was anything but convincing as Algeria went out 2-0 to Nigeria in their quarter-final in Marrakech.

A bizarre jump rather than a dive to try and stop Victor Osimhen's back-post header gifted Nigeria the lead early in the second half and poor distribution from Zidane allowed the opponents to steal possession and score again 10 minutes later.

There had been much attention when Zidane was invited to play for Algeria, the country where his famous father's parents hail from, and he was also in a stark spotlight once the Cup of Nations in Morocco kicked off.

While Luca Zidane made two appearances at Real Madrid when his father coached there, he failed to properly break through and has spent six of the last seven seasons in the second tier of Spanish football.

Algeria's first choice over the past five years has been Anthony Mandrea, who played in Ligue 1 with Angers. However, when his latest club Caen were relegated to the French third division last season, Algeria coach Vladimir 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 had moved up to be Algeria's first choice.

Guendouz, however, was injured on the eve of the tournament, thrusting Zidane into the side.

FLOUNDERING AS NIGERIA TURNED THE SCREWS

He played in two of the three group games without conceding and kept another clean sheet behind a solid defence in the last-16 win over the Democratic Republic of Congo.

But in the firing line against a rampant Nigeria, Zidane was found wanting, fortunate to see the ball cleared off the line in the first half when he ventured off his line for a free kick but misjudged the flight of the ball, and then was caught floundering several times in the second half as Nigeria turned the screws and went on to win comfortably.

Zidane, whose parents were in Morocco to watch him, will be hoping he stays in contention for Algeria's World Cup campaign where they are drawn in Group J against Argentina, Jordan and Austria.

But his performances will leave Petkovic contemplating other options for the tournament in North America.