Riyad Mahrez’s penalty fires Algeria into AFCON knockout round

By PM News

Algeria sealed their place in the knockout stage of the 1XBET Africa Cup of Nations after edging Burkina Faso 1-0 in a tense Group clash on Sunday.

The Desert Foxes needed composure rather than flair to secure progression, and they found it through captain Riyad Mahrez, who calmly converted a first-half penalty to settle a fiercely contested encounter.

The decisive moment arrived in the 23rd minute after Burkina Faso’s Ismahila Ouedraogo was penalised for a foul in the box following a VAR review. Mahrez stepped up and sent goalkeeper Hervé Koffi the wrong way, drilling his effort low into the corner.

Burkina Faso responded with urgency and intent, carving out several clear chances, particularly from set-pieces and late pressure.

Lassina Traoré and Georgi Minoungou both came close to equalising, while Edmond Tapsoba tested the Algerian defence with late surges, but wasteful finishing and resolute defending proved costly.

Algeria also had opportunities to extend their lead, with Ibrahim Maza and Mohamed Amoura forcing sharp saves from Koffi as coach Vladimir Petković managed the game with timely substitutions to preserve the advantage.

Despite Burkina Faso’s late push, the Algerians held firm through four minutes of stoppage time to secure a crucial victory that guarantees qualification to the knockout phase.

NB: IXBET is the official sponsor of AFCON 2025.