Algerian Radio
The Algerian national football team secured its qualification for the Round of 16 of the Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON 2025) on Sunday evening, defeating its counterpart Burkina Faso 1-0 (halftime 1-0) during the second matchday of the group stage (Group E).
Determined to win, "The Greens" approached the match with resolve and began to pressure their opponent during the opening minutes of play.
Their efforts finally bore fruit in the 23rd minute following a major foul on left-back Rayan Aït Nouri, who was tripped inside the penalty area after a series of dribbles. Ghanaian referee Daniel Nii Ayi Laryea did not hesitate to point to the penalty spot, which captain Ryad Mahrez converted, opening the scoring (1-0).
The "Stallions" waited until the 43rd minute to react and nearly equalized on their first real opportunity through Pierre Kaboré, whose cross-header struck goalkeeper Luca Zidane's left post.
After the break, coach Vladimir Petkovic decided to take off his captain Ryad Mahrez and replace him with central defender Zineddine Belaïd. This choice had no impact on the Greens' offensive output, as they continued to play on the attack, creating very fine scoring opportunities. This was notably the case with Ibrahim Maza in the 66th and 68th minutes, and Rayan Aït Nouri in the 77th, whose shot was parried with difficulty by goalkeeper Kouakou Koffi out for a corner.
On the Burkina Faso side, the most dangerous action in the second half was likely a powerful shot by Minoungou, which went slightly over the bar. It was a narrow but precious victory (1-0), allowing Algeria to secure its qualification for the Round of 16 as early as this second matchday of the group stage.
In the other Group E match, played earlier in the afternoon, Sudan defeated Equatorial Guinea (1-0) thanks to an own goal by Saul Coco in the 74th minute.
At the end of this second matchday, the Algerian team stands alone at the top with six points, ahead of Burkina Faso and Sudan, who are tied with three points each. Equatorial Guinea (already eliminated) sits at the bottom with zero points.
On the third and final day of the group stage, scheduled for Wednesday, December 31, Algeria will face Equatorial Guinea, while Sudan will take on Burkina Faso. Both matches will be played simultaneously, starting at 5:00 PM.
