Algeria booked their place in the quarterfinals of the 2019 Africa Cup of Nations with a.commanding 3-0 win over Guinea at 30 June Stadium in Cairo on Sunday evening, to underline their status as tournament favourites.
Following high profile North African casualties over the last few days, the Desert Foxes were eager to buck the trend and that is exactly what they did in the Egyptian capital.
Youcef Belaili, Riyad Mahrez and Adam Ounas all found the back of the net to set up a showdown against either Mali or Ivory Coast in Suez on Thursday, for a place in the final four.
Baghdad Bounedjah squandered a gilt-edged chance for the Algerians with 20 minutes on the clock. Adlène Guedioura picked out the marksman who controlled superbly before firing wide with the goal at his mercy.
Lucky for the forward, Belaili made no such mistake four minutes later to hand Algeria a deserved lead. The Esperance attacker played a neat one-two with Bounedjah before curling the ball past Ibrahim Kone from an acute angle.
Guinea struggled without the influential Naby Keita, but came close to levelling matters as Mady Camara let fly from range in the 55th minute. His thunderbolt, though, was well dealt with by Raïs M’Bolhi.
Algeria duly doubled their lead two minutes later through Mahrez. The Algeria captain’s superb first touch took him past his marker and with only the goalkeeper to beat, he made no mistake in rasping the ball home.
Ounas put the game beyond any reasonable doubt with his third goal of the tournament; finishing off a counter-attack to send a clear warning to their future opponents as Algeria continue their pursuit of African glory.
Algeria (1) 3 (Belaili 24′ Mahrez 57′ Ounas 82′)
Guinea (0) 0
Algeria: M’Bolhi; Mandi, Benlamri, Mahrez, Belaili (Ounas 76′), Bounedjah (Delort 84′), Feghouli, Guedioura (Boudaoui 82′), Atal, Bensebaini, Bennacer.
Guinea: Kone; M. Yattara (Kamano 79′), Issiaga Sylla, Diawara, Seka, Falette, M.Camara, Kante (Koita 56′), Cisse (Bangoura 68′), Traore, Dyrestam.
Source: SuperSports
