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Algeria
0
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1
Equat. Guinea
Victory was already mandatory for Algeria on the second day of Group E against Equatorial Guinea, following a draw conceded against Sierra Leone (0-0) for their entry into the running. As for the Nzalang Nacional, they lost by the smallest of margins against Côte d’Ivoire, group leaders despite their draw earlier in the evening. To do this, Djamel Belmadi made two changes in his starting lineup, preferring Bendebka to Brahimi to switch to a 4-3-3. Local coach Juan Micha Obiang Bicogo only remodeled his attack, replacing Nsue and Hanza with Bikoro and Siafa.
The Greens were dominant from the start of the game in the game and in the duels, sometimes a little too much with three yellow cards in less than ten minutes (4th, 8th, 9th). Algerian striker Baghdad Bounedjah thought to open the scoring but Riyad Mahrez’s offside at the start of the action invalidated the goal (24th). But at the end of the first period, the Equatoguineans worried Raïs M’Bolhi twice (37th, 39th) before tempers flared between the two teams (3 yellows between the 43rd and 45th).
Obiang Esteban surprises the Greens
Upon returning from the locker room, Djamel Belmadi’s men seemed just as determined to seek their first victory in this competition, but it was not without counting on the good intentions of the opponents, who proceeded against (47th). Obiang Bicogo’s players also took advantage of set pieces to find the frame, which happened in the 70th: on a deflected corner at the near post, the right-back of Nzalang Esteban Obiang took the ball alone at the far post and deceived M’Bolhi (1-0, 70th).
The Equatoguineans could thank their attacking midfielder Iban Salvador, author of a heroic performance and present on all fronts to limit the Algerian danger in his camp. Despite the broad domination at the end of the game to snatch the draw, Algeria lost against Equatorial Guinea and put themselves in a complicated position for the qualification for the final phase (0-1). With only 1 point in 2 matches, the title holder loses after 35 matches without the slightest defeat and will have to play everything against Côte d’Ivoire on the 3rd day.