Mauritania, the underdogs, made history by defeating the powerful Algeria 1-0 and advancing to the African Cup of Nations (AFCON) knockout stage.
From the beginning, Algeria was the stronger team, aiming to score an early goal in this crucial match. In the 25th minute, Houssem Aouar had a chance to break the tie with a side volley from Youcef Atals’ cross, but unfortunately, he missed the target.
In the 37th minute, the underdogs surprisingly took the lead against the flow of the game. This was made possible by a fantastic strike from Mohamed Dellah Yaly. Initially, Algerian goalkeeper Anthony Mandrea managed to deflect a corner from Mauritania, but the ball ended up with Mouhsine Bodda, who quickly attempted a long-range shot. The ball deflected off Mohamed Amine Tougai inside the penalty area and landed at the feet of Dellah Yaly. With one touch, he found the back of the net.
In the second half, the Greens made a strong effort to equalize by bringing in former Manchester City star Riyad Mahrez. However, the Lions of Chinguetti deserve credit for their valiant defense, as they held off the relentless attacks and ultimately secured a historic victory.
Mohamed Dellahi Yaly’s goal in the first half was the deciding factor in Mauritania’s remarkable victory over the powerful Algerian team in their final AFCON group match. In addition to scoring the crucial goal, the Al-Nasr defender was extremely solid in the defense, successfully keeping the opposing attackers at bay throughout the game.
The coach of the Algerian team, Djamel Belmadi, made a bold decision to start Riyad Mahrez on the bench in this crucial must-win game. Unfortunately, this decision turned out to be a disaster, as his team was eliminated from the competition in the group stage. Although Mahrez did come on as a substitute in the second half, his absence at the beginning of the match was sorely felt. It is highly likely that the coach will face consequences for this failure.
The Lions of Chinguetti secured a historic spot in the round of 16 after finishing third in their group. On the other hand, the Algerian team suffered a shocking elimination in the group stage for the second consecutive time. They will now need to reflect on this disappointing outcome when they return home.
