Algeria’s national football team has been eliminated from the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations after a 2-0 defeat against Nigeria on Saturday evening. The loss, suffered in the quarter-final stage, brings an end to Algeria’s AFCON campaign.
The first half concluded goalless, despite Nigeria’s clear dominance in possession. Nigeria broke the deadlock early in the second half, with Victor Osimhen scoring in the 47th minute, capitalizing on sustained pressure from the ‘Super Eagles’. Just ten minutes later, Adams added a second goal in the 57th minute.
The match, officiated by Senegalese referee Issa Sy, saw significant protests from the Algerian side due to controversial refereeing decisions. Key among these was the denial of a penalty after a clear handball inside the penalty area, as well as several missed fouls against Algerian players. These decisions drew the ire of the Algerian coaching staff, led by Vladimir Petkovic.
Algeria started the match with a lineup including: Louka Zidane, Belghali, Ait Nouri, Mandi, Bensebaini, Zerrouki, Boudaoui, Maza, Mahrez, Chaibi, and Amoura. However, their performance was marked by a lack of attacking effectiveness, with Amoura isolated and the performance of key players declining. Nigeria enjoyed approximately 62% of possession in the first half.
Petkovic attempted to rectify the situation by making several substitutions in the second half, introducing Haj Moussa, Bounedjah, and Boulbina. However, the response came too late, and Algeria only managed a few attempts that did not trouble Nigerian goalkeeper Nwabili.
This defeat is Algeria’s first in the tournament after an impressive run that included four consecutive victories against Sudan (3-0), Burkina Faso (1-0), Equatorial Guinea (3-1) in the group stage, and the Democratic Republic of Congo (1-0) after extra time in the previous round.
With their exit from the continental competition, Algeria now shifts its focus to the upcoming 2026 World Cup finals, scheduled from June 11th to July 19th in the United States, Mexico, and Canada. The team will look to correct their mistakes and regain their balance before the global tournament. The team’s performance will be under intense scrutiny in the coming months. Algeria must improve.
