Algeria's quest to sabotage England's World Cup dream is being wrecked by an astonishing dressing-room row which almost saw their captain walk out.
The north Africans, who play Fabio Capello's men in Durban on Thursday, are in disarray on the eve of their Group C opener against Slovenia.
The upheaval started last Wednesday when captain Yazid Mansouri was told by coach Rabah Saadane that he would not be in the team to play Slovenia - and he furiously threatened to quit the team.
The 32-year-old midfielder stormed off to his hotel room and was packing his bags before desperate team officials managed to persuade him to rethink his decision after an hour of heated chat.
'It's hard to accept the decision,' said Mansouri. 'I've been in this side for 10 years and that is why I'm struggling to digest the news.' Saadane's decision was also greeted with dismay by Mansouri's team-mates. Portsmouth defender Nadir Belhadj said: 'It will be difficult for us without Yazid because we listen to him all the time.'
The bust-up comes at a terrible time for the North Africans but is music to the ears of England players and supporters.
Mansouri, meanwhile, has vowed to stay and fight for his place. The one-time Coventry player said: 'I am not used to sitting on the bench for Algeria, especially since I have been captain for several years. That's why I am confused. But the coach has made up his mind. I just have to accept it. It has hurt me a lot, that's true, but I will fight to regain my place in the other two games. I want to play at least one game in this tournament.'
An unrepentant Saadane said: 'It was difficult for Mansouri because he is such an important player in this team. But I am at the World Cup and I have to make a decision based on tactics and football. He is not the best at the moment.'
The spat comes at the end of a difficult few months for Algeria, who were shock qualifiers for the finals after beating bitter rivals Egypt last November.
Then came a traumatic African Nations Cup campaign which ended in three players getting red cards, including Belhadj, in a woeful 4-0 demolition by Egypt.
Their build-up for the finals was also below expectations - a 3-0 hammering in Dublin against Ireland was the low point - and Mansouri was among several players who were jeered by frustrated fans.
But Belhadj said: 'We have been waiting 24 years for this moment and now we have nothing to lose.
'I hope the African fans show solidarity with us as we won't have many fans there, but this is the first time our group of players have been at a World Cup and we are all hungry for some success.'
Saabane has sprung another surprise by dropping striker Abdelkader Ghezzal against the Slovenians, who aim to punish the lack of harmony in the Algerian camp.
Coach Matjaz Kek said: 'It would be unfair to talk about Algeria's weaknesses. I can say my staff and I have detected them and we are confident that we can chalk up three much-needed points.'
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