Algeria closed out the Africa Cup of Nations group stage with a flawless record after defeating Equatorial Guinea today, following a 3-0 victory against Sudan and a 1-0 victory against Burkina Faso, something they had not managed since their title-winning run in 2019.
A controlled but sometimes ruthless 3–1 victory over an already-eliminated Equatorial Guinea confirmed the top spot and sent a clear message.
Softfootball understands that with qualification already in the bag, Vladimir Petković shuffled his team, handing chances to several squad players. Still, Algeria started with real intent.
After 19 minutes, the pressure paid off when Zineddine Belaïd glanced home a header from Anis Hadj Moussa’s corner, a proud moment as it marked his first senior international goal.
Just six minutes later, Ibrahim Maza slipped a clever pass into the path of Farès Chaïbi. The winger cut in from the left almost too easily before smashing an effort past Jesús Owono, who had no chance. In 32 minutes, they struck again.
Hadj Moussa’s cross caused more problems, and Maza was there to nod in at the far post, making it 3–0 before the break. At that stage, it felt like the game was already drifting away from Equatorial Guinea.
After the goal, CAF, via their official X account, shared a video of Ibrahim Maza celebrating his goal.
Watch the video below:
To their credit, Juan Michá’s side tried to respond. Pablo Ganet saw a decent opening, while Owono made amends with a sharp save to keep out Monsef Bakrar late in the first half. Still, it was a long and frustrating night for the National Thunder.
The second half brought a brief moment of belief. Veteran forward Emilio Nsue produced a superb angled strike that flew into the top corner, beating Anthony Mandrea and cutting the score to 3–1. And for a moment, Algeria looked slightly rattled. Nsue almost grabbed another soon after, but Mandrea stood firm at close range.
That scare seemed to refocus Algeria. Their tempo picked up again, and Chaïbi went close to a second goal after some neat footwork, only to see his shot crash off the crossbar. From there, Petković’s men managed the game with calm, slowing things down when needed and avoiding any late drama.
Algeria will now prepare for a last-16 clash with the Democratic Republic of Congo in Rabat next Tuesday. For Equatorial Guinea, this first-ever group-stage exit at AFCON will sting, leaving them with plenty to think about.
