The Algerian team hosted Guinea this Thursday, June 6 as part of the 2026 World Cup qualifiers. The Fennecs were beaten (2-1). At the same time, Mali also lost to Ghana (2-1).
Less than five months after their elimination in the first round of CAN 2024 in Ivory Coast, the Fennecs faced a team that had reached the quarter-finals, beaten by the DRC. Guinea was led by its super striker Serhou Guirassy, the Stuttgart triggerman, who scored 25 goals in the Bundesliga this season. Guirassy, who will play in the Champions League next year, remained silent.
Guinea, the stone in the shoe of the Algerians
As for the Greens, coach Vladimir Petković opted for a very offensive eleven with Brahimi and Benzia, the two big returnees, as well as Benrahma and Gouiri. But apart from an attempt by Brahimi in front of goal during the first thirty minutes, the Algerians do not have many opportunities to endanger the national Sily. The only real little thrill, at the end of the first period, on a very well-taken corner, Mohamed Tougaï was found at the penalty spot. He places a nice cross header which passes above the cages (46th + 1).
The Greens, who won the first two matches in their group against Somalia (3-1) in Algiers and Zimbabwe (2-0) in Maputo last November, had to be wary of Guinea. In 2007, during qualifying for CAN 2008, Algeria was eliminated after a 2-0 defeat in… Algiers.
Guinea remains the stone in the shoes of the Algerians. At the start of the second half, after Brahimi lost the ball, the Guineans opened the scoring thanks to Morlaye Sylla (50th). Nabil Bentaleb responded promptly two minutes later with a lofted ball. But with a powerful strike in the 63rd minute, Aguibou Camara, an Olympiakos player, gave his team the lead again. Although Algeria pushed at the end of the match, the defeat was there. After this setback, the Greens will have to make a success of their trip to Kampala to face Uganda on the 4th day next Monday.
Mali was beaten in added time
Mali, for its part, lost at home to Ghana, despite opening the score at the end of the first period thanks to Kamory Doumbia (45th + 1). Ghana came back to level with the Eagles in the second half after a goal from Lyonnais Ernest Nuamah (58th). Ghana, eliminated in the first round of the last CAN, which had a mixed record since the start of the qualifiers with a defeat against Nigeria (2-1), then a draw against Uganda (2-2), snatched its victory with Jordan Ayew in added time (90th + 4).
Mali, which beat Mauritania (2-0) and then Nigeria (2-0) in a friendly last March, has stopped its good momentum. Quarter-finalists of the last CAN, the Malians meet Madagascar next Monday for the fourth day.
