Algeria achieves full marks…and Sudan qualifies despite the loss to Burkina Faso

Algeria achieved full marks in Group Five of the African Cup of Nations held in Morocco after defeating Equatorial Guinea 3-1 today, Wednesday, in the third round of group matches, and Burkina Faso clinched second place with a 2-0 victory over Sudan.

The teams of Algeria, Burkina Faso and Sudan had already qualified for the round of 16 during the second round. Today, Algeria achieved its third victory, raising its score to nine points, followed by Burkina Faso with six points and Sudan with three points.

Algeria opened the scoring in the 19th minute when Zinedine Belaid rose to the ball from a corner kick executed by Anis Hadj Moussa, and headed it into the net.

Fares Shaybi increased Algeria’s lead with the second goal in the 25th minute when he received a long shot and headed brilliantly into the penalty area, then dribbled past the defense and shot the ball powerfully into the net.
The Algerian team continued its offensive pressure, with Ibrahim Mazza adding the third goal in the 32nd minute with a header following a cross from Haj Moussa, and the team tightened its grip on the match.

Equatorial Guinea reduced the gap four minutes after the start of the second half, as Emilio Nsaoui received a cross and shot a powerful ball from the edge of the penalty area into the far corner of the net.

At Mohammed V Stadium in Casablanca, the match between Sudan and Burkina Faso started at a fast pace, and the Burkina Faso team imposed its superiority in possession, but the first minutes were characterized by caution and did not witness real scoring opportunities.

Burkina Faso opened the scoring after a quick attack in the 16th minute, which ended with a cross from Stephane Aziz Key to Lassina Traoré, who headed the ball into the net with a header.

The referee awarded a penalty kick to Sudan in the 23rd minute due to Jazouli Nouh being obstructed, and the player himself stepped forward to execute it, but shot the ball next to the post.

Sudan continued its attempts, showing a clear determination to return to the match, but Burkina Faso increased its lead with the second goal in the 85th minute, scored by Arsene Kouassi, who dribbled the defense as he entered the penalty area and then shot the ball accurately into a narrow corner of the goal.

The teams qualifying for the final eight
The following are the teams qualified for the quarter-finals of the African Cup of Nations:

– The first group: Morocco, Mali

– The second group: Egypt, South Africa

– Group Three: Nigeria, Tunisia, Tanzania

– Group Four: Senegal, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Benin

– Group Five: Algeria, Burkina Faso, Sudan

– Group Six: Cameroon, Ivory Coast, Mozambique