Algeria secured a 1-0 win over Niger to confirm their qualification for the 2023 African Cup of Nations finals.
In a game played at the Hammadi Agrebi Stadium in Rades, Tunisia, the Desert Foxes sealed back-to-back wins over Niger to confirm their place at the AFCON showpiece, to be staged in Cote d’Ivoire in 20214.
Looking to build on last Thursday’s 2-1 victory over Niger, the North African side broke the deadlock on six minutes when skipper RiyadMahrez found Baghdad Bounedjah for the game’s sole goal.
Mahrez’s through ball enabled Bounedjah to fire home a left footed shot from the centre of the box to the bottom right corner.
That strike proved enough to settle a hard-fought encounter and so earned Algeria a fourth win out of four in Group A to put them on 12 points.
With the top two from each group going through to the finals it means the Algerians are already assured of their 20th appearance at the AFCON finals.
Algeria joins Morocco who became the first team on Friday to qualify for the African showpiece after a 2-2 draw between South Africa and Liberia, the other two teams in their qualifying group.
The Atlas Lions will thus make their 19th official appearance in the finals.
