Algeria coach Radia Fertoul concedes she missed the services of striker Naïma Bouhenni in the 1-0 defeat suffered at the hands of Ghana in the opening game of the 2018 Africa Women’s Cup of Nations.

Algeria offered almost nothing in attack as they succumbed to an early thunderous strike from Ghanaian defender Gladys Amfobea on Saturday.

Bouhenni, 33, missed the tournament in Ghana having suffered an ankle injury.

And coach Fertoul who herself took over the team only recently admits Bouhenni’s absence is a major setback of her team.

“We had an attacking player who got injured three weeks ago,” she said.

“And this really affected us today.”

Algeria will play Cameroon in their next group game before completing their group campaign against Mali.