Algeria down Senegal to progress

by Staff Reporter

Thursday Jun 27, 2019. 20:47

Algeria moved into the Last 16 of the 2019 Africa Cup of Nations after beating Senegal 1-0 in a Group C match at the 30 June Air Defence Stadium on Thursday night.

It was a rather slow start to the game from both sides and chances in front of goal were at a minimum.

The first significant effort came in the 15th minute from a 22-yard set-piece, but Youcef Belaili saw his shot well-saved by the Senegalese keeper.

The closest we came to a goal in the opening half came in the 32nd minute when some enterprising play from Riyad Mahrez saw him slip Baghdad Bounedjah through on goal and he managed to beat the keeper, but saw his effort cleared off the goal line by Kalidou Koulibaly.

The half ended goalless.

Five minutes into the second half Algeria took the lead when Belaili found himself in space on the edge of the box and duly fired into the bottom left corner, 1-0.

In the 55th minute Senegal came close to equalising when Koulibaly met a free-kick into the box, but he headed inches over the target from ten-yards out.

Five minutes later the Algerians nearly doubled their lead when a quick counter-attack saw Mahrez play Baghdad Bounedjah into space just inside the box, but his fierce shot shaved the wrong side of the post.

Senegal through players forward in the final twenty minutes, but were unable to find an equaliser.

The win sees Algeria top the standings with six points from two games and guaranteed a spot in the knockout stages of the competition.

The loss for Senegal leaves them placed in second position on three points, for the time being ahead of the other Group C match between Kenya and Tanzania set for later on Thursday night at the same venue.

Senegal (0) 0
Algeria (0) 1 (Belaili 49’)

Teams

Senegal: Mendy, Wague, Kouyate, Koulibaly, Sabaly, N’diaye (Saivet 86’), Balde (Thioub 63’), Diatta (Diagne 73’), Ndiaye, Mane, Niang.

Kenya: M’Bolhi, Bensebaini (Fares 80’), Benlamri, Mandi, Attal, Guedioura, Belaili (Delort 86’), Bennacer (Abeid 92’), Feghouli, Mahrez, Bounedjah.