Algeria 1 – 0 Burkina Faso FT
Riyad Mahrez scored his third goal in two games at the African Cup of Nations, scoring from a penalty as Algeria beat Burkina Faso 1-0 in Rabat to reach the last 16.
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The 2019 champions ended a run of two consecutive eliminations in the group stage thanks to a fantastic first-half goal from Mahrez, which he converted after a clumsy tackle by Ismahila Ouedraogo.
Former Manchester City winger Mahrez, who scored twice in Les Fennecs’ opening 3-0 win over Sudan, fired low into the corner, leaving goalkeeper Herve Koffi pinned on the spot.
Burkina Faso responded positively and Pierre Kabore twice threatened to equalize before the break.
The Stallions continued to press after the break but failed to get a shot on target until the 82nd minute, while Koffi was often called into action at the other end, making a series of good saves to thwart Algeria’s quick counter-attacks.
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The result leaves the North Africans top of Group E on six points, with Burkina Faso and Sudan tied on three points after the Jediane Falcons’ 1-0 win over Equatorial Guinea earlier on Sunday, a result that means the Equatorial Guineans are eliminated.
The four teams will play their final group stage matches on Wednesday (16:00 GMT), when Algeria takes on Equatorial Guinea in Rabat and Burkina Faso takes on Sudan in Casablanca.
Zidane on the pitch and in the stands
Even at the age of 34, Mahrez’s big-game pedigree continues to propel Algeria forward.
His leadership and composure remain invaluable to Les Fennecs, as does his ability to deliver at crucial moments for a team that has struggled to find consistency in recent tournaments.
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It remains to be seen how long he can keep rolling back the years once tougher opposition comes forward.
While Mahrez played a key role on the pitch, another fascinating striker with a magical left foot watched from the stands, with Zinedine Zidane on hand to watch his son Luca keep another clean sheet, having declared for Algeria in September.
The 27-year-old confidently withstood Burkina Faso’s late aerial bombardments and long-range shots, ensuring his team’s narrow lead remained intact following Mahrez’s 23rd-minute penalty.
Kabore volleyed wide and then headed a header against the right post just before half-time, while half-time substitute Georgi Minoungou curled over the bar with 10 minutes remaining.
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Lassina Traore’s tame header and Edmond Tapsoba’s final shot that went wide of goal summed up the Stallions’ lack of cutting edge.
In the end, Algeria’s defensive resilience and Mahrez’s experience made the difference.
Securing qualification with one match to spare will likely restore confidence among coach Vladimir Petkovic’s players, placing Algeria among the first countries setting the pace of the tournament alongside Egypt and Nigeria.
