Summary
CAN 2024: the big evening of Mauritania, qualified for the eighth at the expense of Algeria
This is a historic first for Mauritanian football.
Tuesday January 23, in Bouaké, the Mourabitounes won their first victory in the African Cup of Nations, as well as their first qualification for the round of 16.
Beaten 1-0 (group D), dark Algeria stops again in the first round.
Algerian striker #7 Riyad Mahrez reacts during the 2024 Africa Cup of Nations (CAN) Group D football match between Mauritania and Algeria at the Stade de la Paix in Bouaké on January 23, 2024. AFP - KENZO TRIBOUILLARD
By: Pierre Fesnien Follow |
Nicolas Bamba Follow
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From our special envoys in Ivory Coast,
Euphoria on one side, dismay on the other.
The photography is necessarily tough for the defeated camp, while the winners remain in the running in this
CAN 2024
.
In Bouaké, at the final whistle of an already crazy day after the previous Gambia-Cameroon, Mauritania is drunk with happiness, while Algeria packs its bags.
Read alsoThe rankings of all CAN groups
Dellahi Yali enchants Mauritania
With Houssem Aouar and Adam Ounas lined up from the start, while Riyad Mahrez, Sofiane Feghouli and Youcef Belaïli were substitutes, the Fennecs monopolized the ball throughout the first act.
They even got dangerous situations, with Aouar and Ounas, precisely.
But spinning the ball is not enough.
It's also about scoring.
And in this matter, Mauritania gave a lesson in realism in this first period.
On a corner pushed back by Anthony Mandrea, the ball returned to the area, and Mohamed Dellahi Yali, with a powerful recovery, left the Algerian goalkeeper no chance (37th).
Enough to delight the spectators at the Peace Stadium, enthusiastic for Little Thumb of Group D. Obviously, the supporters of the Greens showed the face of bad days.
Read alsoRelive the elimination of Algeria commented on by our journalists
The Mourabitounes in history, the Fennecs in disarray
From the start of the second half, Djamel Belmadi, the Algerian coach, changed his system and launched his reserve offensive weapons into the battle.
Mauritania touched the ball even less and proceeded with counterattacks, always leaving a threat to the Algerian rearguard.
But most of the time, the Fennecs camped in the Mauritanian half.
A smell of knockout hung in the air on both sides throughout the end of the match.
If Niasse Mbaye saved the Mourabitounes from a reflex parade in front of Aïssa Mandi, it was the crossbar which came to Algeria's aid a few minutes from time, with this strike from Pape Ibnou Ba.
Lots of suspense until the end, but no other goal in the end.
This is how Mauritania signs the best performance in its history, for its third participation in the CAN after 2019 and 2022. Amir Abdou, the man who led the Comorian selection to the round of 16 two years ago years in Cameroon, repeats his feat in Ivory Coast.
The Mourabitounes will rank among the best thirds in this first round and play the direct elimination phase.
On the other hand, times are tough for Algeria, African champion in 2019 and exited in the first round of the following two editions.
Angola secures first place in group
In the other Group D match of the evening, Angola faced Burkina Faso at the Charles Konan-Banny stadium in Yamoussoukro.
With four points each, both teams were certain of qualifying for the round of 16, but the whole point of this meeting was to secure first place in the group.
The Burkinabes quickly showed themselves to be the most dangerous without however managing to create clear enough opportunities to open the scoring against the Angolans who were well positioned tactically and effective in defense.
In a match where very little was happening, the Palancas Negras finally opened the scoring thanks to Mabululu.
The striker headed a free kick from the right, taken by the Angolan captain, Fredy, to propel the ball into Hervé Koffi's goal.
Hubert Velud's men pushed to try to come back to the score before the break, in vain.
Returning from the locker room, the Stallions continued to push, but still in place, the Angolans did not give up.
Burkina will even end up paying for their inefficiency in front of goal in the 93rd minute when Zine, who has just entered the game, will increase the score by sending a ball into the goal that is poorly repelled by Hervé Koffi after a strike from the Palancas Negras.
With this hard-fought victory, Angola takes first place in its group.
The Burkinabes finished second.
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