RABAT, Dec 28 (Reuters) - Riyad Mahrez scored a first half penalty as Algeria sealed their place in the knockout rounds of the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations with a 1-0 victory over Burkina Faso in their Group E clash in Rabat on Sunday.
Algeria have six points and will win the group as they cannot be overhauled by either Burkina Faso (3 points) or Sudan (3) following the third round of fixtures in the pool due to the head-to-head rule.
The Burkinabe meet Sudan in their final clash on Wednesday, while Algeria take on bottom side Equatorial Guinea, who are eliminated.
Algeria were awarded a penalty just past the 20-minute mark when Rayan Ait Nouri was felled in the box by Ismahila Ouedraogo, and Mahrez made no mistake as he sent Herve Koffi in the Burkina Faso goal the wrong way.
Mahrez extended his record as Algeria’s all-time leading scorer at the Cup of Nations with his ninth goal and is also the leading scorer in this edition so far having netted twice in the opening 3-0 win over Sudan.
The Burkinabe came close to an equaliser just before halftime when Pierre Kabore’s close-range header came back off the post and Algeria were able to scramble the ball to safety.
Koffi was busy in the Burkina Faso goal and saved from Mohamed Amoura, before Ibrahim Maza forced another good stop and then scuffed a shot wide of the target.
Luca Zidane, son of France great Zinedine, showed good reactions to keep out a Lassina Traore header late on as Burkina Faso came close to an equaliser.
(Reporting by Nick Said; Editing by Andrew Cawthorne)
