Abdel-hamid Kermali, coach when Algeria won their only Africa Cup of Nations title, died at the weekend aged 81, local media reports said. The former France-based professional footballer was in charge of the Desert Foxes when they hosted and won the 1990 Cup of Nations by defeating Nigeria 1-0 in the final before a 90,000 Algiers crowd.
It ranks amongst the most impressive Africa Cup triumphs with Algeria thrashing Nigeria 5-1 in the opening match and also beating Ivory Coast, Egypt and Senegal en route to the decider. Kermali, who died in the north-eastern city Setif after a long illness, played as a striker in his home city and Algiers, and for Mulhouse, Cannes and Lyon in France during the 1950s.