Hamdani Era Begins with Strong 3-1 Victory for Algeria

Algeria's national football team secured a dominant 3-1 victory over Zambia on Friday evening in their opening match of the 2027 Africa Cup of Nations (CAN) qualifiers. Played at the Hocine Aït Ahmed Stadium in Tizi Ouzou, this decisive win marks a successful beginning for the national team's campaign in Group Nine and the first test under new coach Ibrahim Hamdani, who took charge in September.

The Desert Foxes made an immediate impact, with Jaouen Hadjam opening the scoring in the second minute. While Zambia's Fashion Sakala managed to equalize in the 57th minute, Algeria quickly regained the lead through Ibrahim Maza in the 67th minute. Anis Hadj Moussa then solidified the victory by netting a third goal in the 74th minute, ensuring the home side claimed all three points.

This performance places Algeria at the top of Group Nine with three points, ahead of Togo on goal difference, after Togo also secured a 1-0 victory over Burundi in another group fixture. The strong start positions Algeria favorably as they continue their pursuit of a spot in the 2027 Africa Cup of Nations finals, which will be jointly hosted by Kenya, Tanzania, and Uganda.