Algeria sealed qualification for the Round of 16 at the Africa Cup of Nations after a first-half penalty from captain Riyad Mahrez earned them a hard-fought 1-0 victory over Burkina Faso on Sunday.
Mahrez calmly dispatched the spot kick midway through the opening half at the Moulay El Hassan Stadium in Rabat, before the Desert Foxes dug deep to withstand sustained pressure from a resilient Burkina Faso side in a physically demanding encounter.
The two-time African champions, who lifted the trophy in 1990 and again in 2019, now sit on a perfect six points from two Group E matches and have yet to concede a goal. Under the guidance of Vladimir Petkovic, Algeria have lived up to their status as one of the tournament favourites.
Burkina Faso and Sudan both remain on three points and will face each other in the final round of group fixtures on Wednesday. Having defeated both teams, Algeria are assured of finishing top of the group regardless of the outcome of their final match against Equatorial Guinea, who are yet to register a point. That guarantees Algeria a last-16 clash in Rabat on January 6.
“We were expecting a very tough match. We fought very hard and the most important thing is that we won the game. Now we are qualified and that was the main goal,” said Bayer Leverkusen forward Ibrahim Maza, who was named man of the match.
“We knew before that they would be very tough but we said we would have to fight against it, also be dirty, tackle very hard and we did that well today,” he added, reflecting on the intense nature of the contest.
The result marked a reversal of fortunes from the previous AFCON in Ivory Coast, where Algeria surrendered a two-goal lead to draw 2-2 with Burkina Faso, a result that contributed to their group-stage exit. This time, they emerged with maximum points.
The decisive penalty was awarded after Manchester City defender Rayan Ait-Nouri was brought down inside the area. Mahrez converted in the 23rd minute, adding to the two goals he scored in Algeria’s opening 3-0 win over Sudan. The strike took his tally at the tournament to three goals.
Appearing at his sixth Africa Cup of Nations, the former Leicester City and Manchester City winger now has nine goals at the finals, an Algerian national record.
The match unfolded in a vibrant atmosphere, with 18,522 spectators—many of them Algerian supporters—filling the stands. France legend Zinedine Zidane was also in attendance, watching his son Luca guard the Algerian goal, as he had done in the previous match against Sudan.
Burkina Faso threatened an equaliser when Hearts striker Pierre Landry Kabore headed narrowly wide from a corner, while Mahrez later set up Mohamed Amoura for a shot that was saved by goalkeeper Herve Koffi during stoppage time in the first half.
In the second period, Maza missed two promising chances to extend Algeria’s lead, and substitute Georgi Minoungou fired just over late on as Burkina Faso pressed unsuccessfully for a way back into the game.
What you should know
Algeria’s early qualification highlights their renewed solidity and discipline after a disappointing AFCON campaign last time out.
With two clean sheets, six points and a proven match-winner in Riyad Mahrez, the Desert Foxes are building momentum at the right stage of the tournament. Their ability to grind out narrow wins, alongside attacking flair, suggests a more balanced team under Vladimir Petkovic.
Finishing top of Group E gives Algeria a favourable draw in the knockout stage and strengthens their credentials as serious contenders for the title.
