Algeria drew 2-2 with Burundi today, Tuesday, in the second round of qualifying for the 2027 Africa Cup of Nations, fighting back after falling two goals behind in the first half.
The match began badly for Algeria. Burundi took the lead in the fifth minute through an own goal by Farès Chaïbi, who turned the ball into his own net following a misunderstanding with goalkeeper Mastel, who had come off his line.
Worse was to come. Algeria conceded a second in the 12th minute when Giromugisha grabbed his personal second, pouncing on a poor clearance from Rami Bensebaini. The Burundi man drove into the area once more before firing to the right of Mastel.
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Mohamed Belloumi pulled one back in the 30th minute, seizing a chance inside the penalty area and steering a left-footed shot into the bottom right corner to make it 2-1.
Burundi held their lead to the break, riding out Algeria’s efforts to level.
Algeria came out for the second half chasing an equaliser and reshuffled their front line with several changes. It paid off. From a free kick, Adel Boulbina drilled home the leveller with a precise strike in the 63rd minute.
On came Mohamed Amine Amoura and Mouncef Bakrar, then Adel Ouichaoui and Ilan Kebbal, as Algeria threw more forwards into the mix. Burundi stood firm through the closing stages.
Algeria almost snatched it in the 87th minute. Saadi Redouani rose to meet a cross from Adam Zorgane and produced a header from a difficult angle, but goalkeeper Jonathan Nahimana kept it out.
Deep in stoppage time, Jaouen Hadjam blew another chance, shooting left-footed from inside the box only to see the ball drift just wide of the left post.
The last act fell to Melvin Mastel. Algeria’s goalkeeper blocked a header from Burundi’s Emmanuel Swedi on the right of the penalty area, and the match ended 2-2.
Algeria moved onto 4 points, top of Group Nine, while Burundi collected their first point to sit third for now, pending the match between Zambia and Togo.
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