A lightning-fast start from Algeria

It took just three minutes for Algeria to make their intentions clear. After sustained early pressure, Riyad Mahrez delivered a moment of pure class, finishing calmly to give his side an immediate advantage.

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The early goal settled Algeria into their rhythm and forced Sudan to chase the game from the outset, stretching the spaces and inviting pressure.

Sudan threaten but fail to convert

Despite trailing, Sudan showed flashes of ambition. Abuaagla Abdalla tried his luck from well over 35 meters, only to see his long-range effort drift wide after a pass from Bakhit Khamis.

Later in the half, Abdel Raouf came agonizingly close, firing just over the crossbar from inside the box following a well-timed assist by Yaser Awad. It proved to be Sudan’s clearest chance of the match.

A red card shifts the balance

The turning point arrived just before halftime. At 39 minutes, Salaheldin Alhassan was shown a straight red card, leaving Sudan a man down and facing an uphill battle for the remainder of the contest.

From that moment on, Algeria’s control became absolute, with the numerical advantage allowing them to dictate tempo and territory.

Mahrez seals it after the break

Algeria came out aggressively in the second half. Hicham Boudaoui tested his luck from distance, while Baghdad Bounedjah missed a clear opportunity from inside the area as the pressure mounted.

The breakthrough arrived again through Mahrez. First, a composed left-footed finish made it 2–0, and at 61 minutes, the captain struck once more to complete his brace — his second goal of the tournament — effectively ending the contest.

Sudan run out of answers

Even with sporadic attempts, including another ambitious long-range effort from Abdel Raouf, Sudan lacked the numbers and precision to mount a comeback.

Algeria comfortably saw out the match, combining defensive solidity with moments of attacking quality that underlined their credentials in Group E of AFCON 2025 — a performance capped off in the 85th minute, when Ibrahim Meza added a third to seal the emphatic victory.

A statement performance

With Mahrez leading by example and the team showing composure from the opening minutes, Algeria delivered a performance that sent a clear message to the rest of the group — disciplined, ruthless, and firmly in control when it mattered most.

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