Preview: Algeria vs Uruguay - prediction, team news, lineups

Riding high from an emphatic victory in their previous outing, Algeria take on Uruguay at Allianz Stadium on Tuesday, as both nations continue preparations for the 2026 World Cup in June.

The Desert Warriors head into this encounter following a 7-0 thrashing of Guatemala on Friday, the same day La Celeste held England to a 1-1 draw at Wembley Stadium.

Match preview

Friday’s exhibition marked Algeria’s first outing since their quarter-final elimination from the Africa Cup of Nations by Nigeria in January, and it seemed Guatemala took the fall for that continental setback.

Racing to a three-goal lead in the first half, the Desert Warriors were dominant from start to finish, with Amine Gouiri completing his brace after the interval, while captain Riyad Mahrez also contributed with a penalty in the 31st minute.

The victory marked Algeria’s joint second-biggest in history and extended a strong run, with the two-time AFCON winners claiming wins in seven of their last nine internationals (L2), a sequence fuelled by fast starts.

Vladimir Petkovic’s side have opened the scoring in eight of their last nine matches and will look to replicate that proactivity as they carry momentum into June’s tournament.

Tuesday’s fixture offers valuable preparation against South American opposition, with Algeria set to face Argentina in their World Cup opener before subsequent group matches against Jordan and Austria.

The Desert Warriors will be looking to improve on their round-of-16 run in 2014 – their most recent global tournament appearance – though a strong qualifying campaign of eight wins in 10 games (D1, L1) secured their fifth World Cup ticket overall.

Meanwhile, Uruguay qualified for the World Cup for a fifth consecutive edition, finishing fourth in the CONMEBOL standings with 28 points from 18 matches (W7, D7, L4).

La Celeste ended their preliminaries unbeaten in the last three outings, a streak extending to six matches across all competitions following victories over the Dominican Republic and Uzbekistan and a goalless draw against Mexico.

That run was built on defensive solidity, with Marcelo Bielsa’s side keeping clean sheets in five of those matches, though the backline has shown cracks recently, conceding six goals across their last two outings.

While Uruguay were outclassed in a 5-1 defeat to the United States, Friday’s clash with England was a better display, with a late penalty from Federico Valverde salvaging a draw.

Heading into Tuesday’s clash, history offers little comfort for Uruguay, who lost 1-0 in their only previous meeting with Algeria, though La Celeste will aim to gather momentum ahead of the World Cup, where they are drawn alongside Saudi Arabia, Cape Verde, and Spain in the group stage.

Algeria International Friendlies form:

Algeria form (all competitions):

Uruguay International Friendlies form:

Uruguay form (all competitions):

Team News

Algeria head coach Petkovic is expected to retain his 4-4-2 formation from the Guatemala clash, even if personnel tweaks are made to give more players minutes.

Captain Mahrez is likely to hold his spot on the right flank, while Gouiri could again co-lead the attack following his brace.

Faras Ghedjemis and Ahmed Nadhir Benbouali are pushing for starts after impactful substitute appearances.

Uruguay, on the other hand, will be without Joaquin Piquerez, who was forced off last time with an ankle problem.

Atletico Madrid defender Jose Maria Gimenez is expected to continue at left-back, though Manchester United midfielder Manuel Ugarte could be relegated to the bench after a subdued display against England.

Algeria possible starting lineup:

Mastil; Abada, Belaid, Bensebaini, A Nouri; Mahrez, Titraoui, Aouar, Zerrouki; Gouiri, Amoura

Uruguay possible starting lineup:

Muslera; Varela, R Araujo, Olivera, J M Gimenez; Canobbio, Valverde, E Martinez, M Araujo; Nunez, Aguirre

We say: Algeria 1-1 Uruguay

Algeria enter this encounter on the back of an emphatic win over Guatemala, but facing a higher-quality side in Uruguay presents a different challenge.

Both nations are relatively close in the FIFA World Rankings, with the Desert Warriors 28th, while La Celeste are 17th, making a draw the most feasible outcome in what promises to be a competitive friendly match.

For data analysis of the most likely results, scorelines and more for this match please click here.