Zinédine Zidane was able to breathe when his son Luca captured Cyriaque Irié’s powerful header, in added time of Algeria-Burkina Faso (90th + 3) this Sunday in Rabat. The Fennecs goalkeeper preserves the success of his team (1-0) and the qualification for the round of 16 of CAN 2025, before the eyes of his family.
A narrow victory for Algeria, in a tricky match, which could have escaped them when Burkina Faso pushed at the end of the match. Or even at the end of the first period, when Pierre Landry Kaboré found Luca Zidane’s post following a corner (43rd).
“It was a very difficult match between two strong teams who fought for 90 minutes for every ball,” commented Vladimir Petkovic, the Algerian coach, after the match. Despite a small deficit in the final moments, we continued to work hard to win and qualify. »
His team in fact remained serious, relying on its strong men, including its captain Riyad Mahrez. Already a double scorer against Sudan when the Fennecs entered the fray (3-0), the 34-year-old winger did it again this Sunday.
Already three goals for Mahrez
In the 23rd minute, he converted the penalty obtained by Rayan Aït-Nouri with a shot on the ground, into the side net. He now has three goals in this 2025 edition of the CAN, nine since the start of his career in the competition – the record for an Algerian player.
A sort of redemption for Riyad Mahrez, he who had not scored during the last two CAN, in 2024 and 2022, any more than Algeria had passed the group stage. But that’s it, the Fennecs are back in the eighth place, for the first time since 2019, the year they were crowned.
“Our objective was to qualify, not to aim for individual rewards,” recalled midfielder Ibrahim Maza, named man of the match. We are officially qualified and satisfied with the work accomplished. »
With, as a bonus, first place in the group assured, even before the last match against Equatorial Guinea (Wednesday at 5 p.m.). The Fennecs can already plan for a round of 16 which promises to be tough, facing the 2nd in Pool D, which will be Senegal, DR Congo or Benin. It will be Tuesday January 6 at 5 p.m.
The only black spots for Algeria: the injury-related exits of defender Jaouen Hadjam (13th), victim of a nasty sole from Gustavo Sangaré, and Paris FC player Samir Chergui (61st). Vladimir Petkovic took no risks with Riyad Mahrez, whom he took off on the hour mark as a precaution.
