Zidane keeps the zero again, the round of 16 is booked: Algeria’s national football team has reached its first intermediate goal at the Africa Cup of Nations in Morocco. “Les Fennecs” defeated Burkina Faso 1-0 (1-0) in their second game and secured victory in Group E early with six points and 4-0 goals.
Midfield star Riyad Mahrez, a key player at Manchester City for many years, scored decisively with a penalty kick (23rd). Luca Zidane – son of French football icon Zinédine Zidane, who once again kept his fingers crossed in the stands – kept his box clean, as he did in the opening win against Sudan (3-0). Algeria, African champions in 2019, were eliminated in the group phase of the 2022 and 2024 editions.
There was also a small Bundesliga class meeting at the Prince Heritier Moulay El Hassan stadium in the Moroccan capital Rabat: Ramy Bensebaini (Dortmund), Ibrahim Maza from Bayer Leverkusen and Wolfsburg’s Mohammed Amoura were in the starting line-up for Algeria, while Maza’s club colleague Edmond Tapsoba started in defense for Burkina Faso. In addition, Frankfurt’s Farès Chaibi came on as a substitute in the final phase for Algeria.
Amoura (45th + 5) missed a great chance to make it 2-0 shortly before the break. Leverkusen’s Maza also missed a top-class player (67th).
Sudan had previously won 1-0 (1-0) against Algeria’s last group opponent Equatorial Guinea and is now level with Burkina Faso.
Aubameyang loses with Gabon
Gabon, with former Bundesliga top scorer Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang (36), lost 2:3 (1:2) in Group F against outsiders Mozambique, who thus achieved their first ever win at an African Championship. Gabon is still without a point. In the evening there will be the top game in this group between the German World Cup group opponents and defending champions Cote d’Ivoire and Cameroon.
Mozambique had not yet managed to win in its previous five participations in the Africa Cup of Nations. At the start of this year, the “Mambas” also lost 0-1 against defending champions Ivory Coast. The maiden victory was achieved at the 17th attempt – reaching the round of 16 now seems realistic.
Aubameyang’s subsequent goal was not enough. The former Dortmund player made it 1-2 (45th + 5th) deep in stoppage time in the first half, and Alex Moucketou-Moussounda (76th minute) also scored for Gabon. Faisal Bangal from the fourth Italian league (37th) and the two players playing in Portugal Geny Catamo (42nd/penalty) and Diogo Calila (52nd) were successful for outsiders Mozambique.
