Rabat, Morocco – In a captivating start to their Africa Cup of Nations campaign, Algeria secured a dominant 3-0 victory over Sudan on Wednesday, with France legend Zinedine Zidane watching from the stands. The match, held at the Moulay Hassan Stadium in Rabat, saw Riyad Mahrez score twice and Ibrahim Maza net his first international goal, propelling Algeria to the top of Group E.
However, contrary to the title, Son Heung-min did not feature in the match between Algeria and Sudan.
Zidane's presence at the stadium was primarily to support his son, Luca Zidane, who started in goal for Algeria. The crowd warmly greeted Zidane, with his image frequently displayed on the big screens. Luca Zidane's inclusion in the starting lineup was due to an injury to Alexandre Oukidja.
Algeria wasted no time in asserting their dominance, with Mahrez opening the scoring in the 2nd minute following a clever pass from Hicham Boudaoui. Despite Algeria's confident start, Sudan created some opportunities, testing Luca Zidane early on. Sudan's task became more challenging when Salaheldin Adil received a second yellow card in the 39th minute for a foul on Rayan Aït-Nouri, reducing them to ten men.
In the second half, Algeria maintained control, and Mahrez extended their lead in the 61st minute, capitalizing on a precise pass from Mohamed Amoura. Substitute Ibrahim Maza sealed the victory in the 85th minute, scoring his first international goal after a header from Baghdad Bounedjah.
Mahrez expressed his satisfaction with the win, emphasizing the importance of starting the tournament positively after disappointing performances in the previous two editions. He acknowledged the team's ambition to reach the final but stressed the need to remain grounded.
This victory marks Algeria's first Africa Cup of Nations win since their triumph in the 2019 final against Senegal. Algeria had been eliminated in the first round of the last two editions.
Algeria now tops Group E alongside Burkina Faso, who also secured a win against Equatorial Guinea. Algeria will face Burkina Faso in their next match. Sudan will face Equatorial Guinea.
The Africa Cup of Nations 2025 is the 35th edition of the tournament and is being held in Morocco. The tournament which started on December 22, 2025, will conclude on January 19, 2026.
