Michel-Ange Balikwisha’s time at the Africa Cup of Nations has ended in heartbreak and with him at the centre of it all.
The Celtic winger, who is still searching for form in green and white, featured for 33 minutes in the round of 16 clash between DR Congo and Algeria in Morocco.
With the game hanging in the balance in the final minutes of extra time, it was Balikwisha’s misplaced pass that gifted Algeria the moment they were waiting for. It was the 119th minute when they struck.
Trying to thread a ball through on the edge of the box, Balikwisha’s effort was intercepted, and just seconds later, Algeria flew up the pitch and scored a stunning winner, a strike worthy of any stage, but one that leaves DR Congo and their fans with nothing but pain.
The ‘keeper had no chance, but had Balikwisha never given the ball away, the opposition would never have been in that position.
The 1-0 loss means Balikwisha now returns to Glasgow, where his own fortunes need turning around.
Since arriving in the summer window, expectations were high, but they haven’t been met.
He’s still without a goal for Celtic, and has just one assist to his name.
The talent is there, but time is ticking. Celtic need players to stand up and be counted in the second half of the season.
Whether Balikwisha can do that remains to be seen, but a costly error on the international stage is not the ideal confidence boost.
