Algeria Tame Lions Of Teranga To Book AFCON Last 16 Spot
27th June 2019
Mane struggled to impress on his return from suspension as Youcef Belaili crashed home the winner on 49 minutes to guarantee Algeria a berth in the last 16
- Riyad Mahrez and Algeria fired a warning to the rest of their Africa Cup of Nations title rivals with a deserved 1-0 win over Sadio Mane's heavily-fancied Senegal in Cairo on Thursday
- It is almost a decade since Algeria last made an impact at the competition by reaching the 2010 semi-finals, and this was a performance of great promise from the north African side in front of a large crowd at a blustery 30 June Stadium
- Senegal, on the hunt for a first continental title, will still be expected to join Algeria in the knockout rounds as they wrap up the group phase against Kenya on July 1
CAIRO, Egypt-
Riyad Mahrez and Algeria fired a warning to the rest of their Africa Cup of
Nations title rivals with a deserved 1-0 win over Sadio Mane's heavily-fancied
Senegal in Cairo on Thursday.
Mane struggled to
impress on his return from suspension as Youcef Belaili crashed home the winner
on 49 minutes to guarantee Algeria a berth in the last 16.
It is almost a
decade since Algeria last made an impact at the competition by reaching the
2010 semi-finals, and this was a performance of great promise from the north
African side in front of a large crowd at a blustery 30 June Stadium.
"We can't say
we look like a title-winning side. Beating Senegal is not an easy thing to do
and there won't be many teams capable of doing it, but that doesn't mean things
are settled," said Algeria coach Djamel Belmadi.
"It's just the
second group game. Sure it's against a very strong side but it's just a group
match."
Senegal, on the hunt
for a first continental title, will still be expected to join Algeria in the
knockout rounds as they wrap up the group phase against Kenya on July 1.
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"Of course
Sadio Mane can do better," said Senegal boss Aliou Cisse. "There was
a lot of technical errors in our game. He was less prominent but I'm not
concerned. It's the whole team that needs to raise its level of play."
Mane was one of
three changes to the Senegal team that brushed Tanzania aside 2-0 in their
opening game, with Cheikhou Kouyate filling in for the injured Salif Sane in
central defence. Belmadi stuck with the Algeria team that rolled Kenya over by
the same scoreline.
Resuming a Premier
League rivalry that saw City pip Liverpool in a thrilling title race last
season, Mane's Senegal controlled possession initially albeit without
testing Algeria goalkeeper Rais M'Bohli. Mane ballooned one free-kick well over
while Keita Balde completely miscued another.
Having absorbed
Senegal's advances with relative comfort, Algeria grew more assertive and
Baghdad Bounedjah had Edouard Mendy scrambling across his goal when his a
deflected effort that bounced narrowly wide.
- Sustained Algeria pressure tells -
Bounedjah, who hit
39 goals in just 21 starts for Qatar's Al Sadd last season, looked odds on to
score for the second game running in Egypt when he lifted the ball over Mendy
only for a retreating Kalidou Koulibaly to clear.
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The Algeria forward
then nodded wide from a Mahrez free-kick and forced Mendy to force behind a
scuffed attempt across goal.
The half-time
interval failed to arrest Algeria's momentum as a sweeping attack saw Bounedjah
lay off for Sofiane Feghouli to curl wide, but the breakthrough soon came for
the Desert Foxes.
After Senegal
conceded possession Feghouli pulled back from the byline down the right for
Belaili to take a touch and slam the ball beyond a motionless, unsighted Mendy.
Having created a
raft of chances in a commanding win over Tanzania, Senegal's attack found a
compact Algeria far less forgiving and Mahrez went close to doubling the lead
with a fizzing strike from distance.
Senegalese penalty
appeals were ignored when Mane was sandwiched by Ramy Bensebaini and Adlene
Guedioura, while M'Bohli did well to repel a stinging shot from Youssouf Sabaly
with substitute Mbaye Diagne heading the rebound wide as the Teranga Lions
searched for an equaliser.
Algeria survived a
late scare when Bounedjah almost inadvertently poked a set-piece into his own
net, but this is the first time they have won their first two matches at the
Cup of Nations since 1990 when they ended up winning the title.