MAHREZ PUTS ALGERIA THROUGH
The Straits Times
|December 30, 2025
His penalty beats Burkina Faso; 39-year wait for Afcon victory ends for Mozambique
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A hard-nosed performance helped Algeria become the third country, after Egypt and Nigeria, to qualify for the knockout stages of the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations (Afcon) by edging out Burkina Faso 1-0 in Rabat via a Riyad Mahrez penalty on Dec 28.
Defending champions Ivory Coast failed to join the trio after drawing 1-1 with Cameroon in a lively Marrakesh showdown.
Mozambique ended a 39-year wait for a first Afcon victory by beating Gabon 3-2, while Sudan got back in contention for a last-16 slot by edging out Equatorial Guinea 1-0 in Casablanca.
Captain Mahrez converted from the spot midway through the first half and Algeria then held on to win a bruising contest against a determined Burkinabe outfit.
The penalty that decided the game was awarded when Manchester City’s Rayan Ait-Nouri was bundled over.
Mahrez made no mistake with his 23rd-minute spot kick, as he followed up his brace in the opening 3-0 win over Sudan to take his tally at this Afcon to three goals.
The former Leicester City and Manchester City winger now has nine goals at the tournament, an Algerian record.
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