Algeria's Desert Foxes roared back to form with a dominant 3-0 victory over Sudan in their opening match of the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations on Wednesday. Captain Riyad Mahrez was the undisputed star of the show, netting a brace to set his nation on the path to a perfect start in Group E.
Mahrez Sets the Pace in Rabat
The match at the Moulay El Hassan Stadium in Rabat was barely a minute old when Algeria struck. A swift move involving Mohamed Amoura and a clever back-heel from Hicham Boudaoui set up Mahrez, who needed just 82 seconds to fire his side into the lead, sending the majority-Algerian crowd of 16,115 into raptures.
The momentum firmly stayed with the 2019 champions. Sudan's task became mountainous when Salaheldin Adil received a second yellow card and was sent off six minutes before half-time. Algeria continued to press, and Mahrez sealed his double just after the hour mark. The Al-Ahli winger, now with eight career AFCON goals, expertly finished a delightful outside-of-the-boot pass from Amoura to make it 2-0.
A Convincing Start for the Desert Foxes
Algeria, having suffered disappointing group-stage exits in the last two tournaments, looked determined to make a statement. Substitute Ibrahim Maza of Bayer Leverkusen added a third with five minutes remaining, tapping in from a Baghdad Bounedjah knockdown. This goal was historically significant, marking Algeria's 100th goal in the history of the Africa Cup of Nations.
The occasion was made even more special by the presence of French football legend Zinedine Zidane in the stands. His appearance on the big screens drew huge cheers from Algerian fans, who also saw his son, Luca Zidane, start in goal for the national team.
Group E Drama Unfolds
In the other Group E fixture played earlier in Casablanca, Burkina Faso staged a stunning late comeback to defeat 10-man Equatorial Guinea 2-1. After Basilio Ndong's red card, Equatorial Guinea took a late lead through Marvin Anieboh, only for Burkina Faso to score twice in added time. Georgi Minoungou equalized in the 95th minute before Edmond Tapsoba snatched a dramatic 98th-minute winner.
For Sudan, the search for form continues. The 1970 champions have now managed just one win in their last 17 Cup of Nations matches. Algeria, meanwhile, sits proudly atop Group E, having banished the ghosts of recent tournaments with a performance full of intent and quality.
