AFCON 2025: Mahrez penalty sends Algeria to last 16

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 win over Burkina Faso in their Group E match in Rabat on Sunday.

Algeria has six points and will win the group, because after the third round in the group it cannot be defeated by Burkina Faso (3 points) or Sudan (3) due to the mutual ratio.

The Burkinabe face Sudan in their final match on Wednesday, while Algeria take on Equatorial Guinea, who have been eliminated.

Algeria were awarded a penalty just after twenty minutes when Rayan Ait Nouri was felled in the penalty area by Ismahila Ouedraogo. Mahrez made no mistake when he sent Herve Koffi the wrong way in the Burkina Faso goal.

Mahrez extended his record as Algeria’s all-time top scorer at the Cup of Nations with his ninth goal and is also the top scorer of this edition so far, having scored twice in the opening 3-0 win over Sudan.

The Burkinabe came close to the equalizer just before half time when Pierre Kabore’s header from close range came back off the post and Algeria was able to save the ball.

Koffi was busy in Burkina Faso’s goal, saving from Mohamed Amoura, before Ibrahim Maza forced another good stop and then fired a shot wide of the target.

Luca Zidane, son of French great Zinedine, showed good reactions when he kept out Lassina Traore’s late header as Burkina Faso came close to an equalizer.

Published on December 29, 2025