Algeria’s new fiasco

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By: Manu Tournoux

Algeria's new fiasco

Beaten by Mauritania (1-0), Algeria left the CAN in the group stage and without the slightest victory for the second consecutive edition.

New disaster for Algeria! Like two years ago, the Fennecs were eliminated from the African Cup of Nations, at the end of a run once again without the slightest victory. Hooked by Angola then by Burkina Faso, the Greens were this time beaten by Mauritania (0-1).

A simple draw would have been enough for the Algerians to qualify through the back door, among the best third-placed teams, but Djamel Belmadi’s team, after a sluggish start, had saved the worst for last. The changes made by the coach, who had notably relegated captain Riyad Mahrez to the bench, nevertheless seemed interesting at the start of the match, including a great opportunity for Houssem Aouar after good work from Adam Ounas (25th). But Algeria quickly fell back into its failings.

It was Mauritania, after a first alert from Souleymane Anne (36th), who opened the scoring through Mohamed Dellahi following a billiard shot from a corner (1-0, 37th). And Algeria has never been able to react. Mahrez came on at the break, but his contribution was disastrous. And in the second half, we were closer to 2-0 for these amazing Mourabitounes, who hit the crossbar through Pape Ibnou Bâ (85th), and could have blamed themselves.

Great first for Mauritania!

Algeria had a big opportunity through Aïssa Mandi (69th), and there will be this huge double opportunity for Mandi and Baghdad Bounedjah in extended added time (90th+5). But the Greens have stalled again, and are once again exiting the CAN with their heads down, which should seal the end of the Belmadi era.

The craziest thing about all of this is that this is Mauritania’s very first victory in a CAN final phase, and it is absolutely deserved given the nature of this meeting, where a team clearly wanted it. more than the other. The Mourabitounes will even be there in the round of 16 of this decidedly crazy CAN!

Manu Tournoux

Written by:

Manu Tournoux

Manu Tournoux is a passionate and knowledgeable football enthusiast with a special focus on French football. Born and raised in France, Manu discovered his love for the beautiful game at a young age and developed a deep understanding of the ins and outs of "Le Championnat." His French roots and extensive experience in football journalism have made him an invaluable asset to the French Football Weekly team. As an author for the website, his expertise includes not only in-depth analysis of Ligue 1 and Ligue 2 matches but also insightful profiles of up-and-coming talents, detailed transfer news, and engaging coverage of the French national team. His captivating writing style and undeniable passion for the game have earned him a loyal following among our readers. When he's not crafting engaging articles for French Football Weekly, Manu enjoys attending live matches whenever he can, exploring football culture in various French cities, and engaging in spirited debates with fellow fans.