Algeria Advances to AFCON Quarter-Finals with Last-Minute Victory

Algeria secured their place in the quarter-finals of the Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) following a thrilling victory against DR Congo. The decisive goal was netted by Adil Boulbina in the 119th minute. Despite only having participated in one group stage match prior, the Al-Duhail midfielder made a significant impact, scoring just five minutes after his substitution.

Bundesliga Players Shine for Algeria

All four players from the Bundesliga represented in Algeria’s lineup—Ramy Bensebaini (Dortmund), Farès Chaïbi (Dortmund), Mohamed Amoura (Wolfsburg), and Ibrahim Maza (Leverkusen)—were starters in this crucial match for the 2019 champions. Due to their progression in the tournament, these players will miss the upcoming Bundesliga matches this weekend.

DR Congo’s Struggles Continue

On the other hand, Samuel Essende once again remained an unused substitute for DR Congo. He becomes the third Augsburg player to exit the competition early, joining Elias Saad and Ismaël Gharbi, whose Tunisia team was eliminated by Mali.

Upcoming Challenge: Algeria vs Nigeria

Looking ahead, Algeria is set to face Nigeria in the quarter-finals on Saturday. The Super Eagles recently delivered one of the tournament’s most commanding performances, defeating Mozambique 4-0. However, tensions arose due to Victor Osimhen’s controversial behavior, which overshadowed their quest for a championship title since 2013.