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The Digest:

A first-half penalty from captain Riyad Mahrez secured Algeria’s place in the Africa Cup of Nations knockout stage with a hard-fought 1–0 win over Burkina Faso in Rabat. The victory gives the Desert Foxes a perfect six points in Group E and confirms them as group winners, continuing their strong start to the tournament without conceding a goal.

Key Points:
  • Riyad Mahrez converted a 23rd-minute penalty to secure a 1–0 win over Burkina Faso
  • Algeria has six points from two matches and tops Group E without conceding a goal
  • The team is guaranteed to finish first and will play a last-16 tie in Rabat on January 6
  • Mahrez now has three goals in the tournament and a record nine AFCON goals for Algeria
  • The match was attended by France legend Zinedine Zidane, whose son Luca plays in goal for Algeria
  • Burkina Faso and Sudan are tied on three points and face each other in the final group game
  • Algeria avenged a 2–2 draw with Burkina Faso that contributed to their group-stage exit in 2023
When a team moves through the group stage with clean sheets and calm authority, it’s not just winning matches—it’s building a statement, one disciplined performance at a time.

Sources: AFCON Match Report, Post-Match Reactions