Coupe du Monde Qualifiers: Benrahma, Nuamah, and Baldé in Action
The African zone World Cup qualifiers continue this Monday, with three players from Lyon in the spotlight: Saïd Benrahma (Algeria), Ernest Nuamah (Ghana), and Mama Baldé (Guinea-Bissau). This is an opportunity for them to build confidence before returning to training with OL on July 6.
International matches often provide players with a platform to showcase their skills, especially during challenging times at their clubs. Benrahma and Nuamah impressed last Thursday, scoring a goal each against Guinea and Mali, respectively. On the other hand, Mama Baldé, despite playing the full match against Ethiopia, did not manage to find the back of the net. Tonight, Baldé’s Guinea-Bissau will face Egypt, while Benrahma’s Algeria will take on Uganda. Nuamah’s Ghana will play against Mozambique.
Three players aiming to gain confidence
Although they have different playing styles, these three players share a common goal: to help their countries qualify for the World Cup and boost their confidence for the upcoming season with OL. During the recent French Cup final loss against PSG (1-2), only Saïd Benrahma was in the starting lineup. In his 15 appearances for Olympique Lyonnais, the Algerian forward has scored 3 goals and provided 2 assists. Nuamah, on the other hand, has been a sporadic starter in the last few matches of the season, showcasing his dribbling and attacking skills. However, he struggles with finishing near the goal.
Baldé, who has mostly been a substitute
As for Mama Baldé, the situation is different. In his 23 appearances for OL this season (across all competitions), he has come off the bench 19 times, scoring 2 goals and providing 1 assist. Benrahma and Nuamah are competing for more playing time compared to Baldé, who has been mostly used as a substitute. With the pre-season with OL less than a month away, these international matches are crucial opportunities for them to make a strong impression.