Baghdad Bounedjah scored two goals to give Algeria a chance of advancing to the next stage of the Africa Cup of Nations. They drew 2-2 with Burkina Faso.
Although Algeria deserved the point, they seemed to be in a hopeless situation until Bounedjah scored the crucial equalizer, keeping their hopes alive.
Burkina Faso took the lead just before halftime when Mohamed Konate headed in a high pass from Abdoul Taposba. Initially, the goal was disallowed for offside, but after a VAR check, it was determined to be a valid goal.
In the second half, Burkina Faso started off well, with Ibrahim Toure getting into a dangerous position and taking a shot, but unfortunately, he missed the target. Just a minute later, Algeria equalized when a free-kick found its way to Bounedjah, who managed to score. Bounedjah had another opportunity to put Algeria ahead, but his header missed the target.
Despite Algeria dominating the second half, it was Burkina Faso that took the lead next. Rayan Ait-Nouri committed a foul in the penalty box, resulting in a penalty for Burkina Faso. Bertrand Traore, who had only been on the field for six minutes, confidently converted the penalty. However, just as it seemed like Algeria was heading towards a potentially tournament-ending defeat, they scored a crucial equalizer from a late corner, with Bounedjah heading the ball into the net to keep his team in the competition—at least for now.
Bounedjah will be remembered as a national hero if Algeria performs well in the competition, as he scored two goals, including a late equalizer, to salvage a point for his team. His first goal was a scrappy one from close range, and just when it seemed like Algeria was going to lose, he came through with a late header to secure a crucial point.
If Ait-Nouri hadn’t fouled an opponent while trying to win the ball inside the Algeria box, the Fennec Foxes could have potentially earned more than just a point from this game. His mistake put his team under immense pressure, and they were at risk of being eliminated from the competition until Bounedjah stepped up with the equalizer.
Algeria currently has two points from their two matches in the competition. To stay in the competition, they must defeat Mauritania, while Burkina Faso, who are leading with four points, will face Angola in their final game.
