HomeLocal NewsHolders Algeria held by Sierra Leone in their 2021 AFCON Group E...

Holders Algeria held by Sierra Leone in their 2021 AFCON Group E opener

Date:

Related stories

Kano commissioner withdraws surety for drug suspect Danwawu

Kano State Commissioner for Transportation, Alhaji Ibrahim Namadi, has...

Fake EFCC officials jailed in Kano

The Kano Zonal Directorate of the Economic and Financial...

Kano govt sends 588 students to 15 states for exchange programme

The Kano State Government has dispatched 588 students to...

Kano commissioner secures bail for suspected drug dealer Danwawu

Kano State Commissioner for Transport, Ibrahim Namadi, has stepped...

Kano govt partners Federal Mortgage Bank to solve housing shortage

The Kano State Government has announced a new partnership...
spot_img

Riyad Mahrez and his teammates failed to spark as reigning Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) champion Algeria drew goalless with Sierra Leone in their opening Group E fixture.

Heading into the delayed 2021 tournament aiming to become the first team to win consecutive AFCON titles since Egypt won three in a row between 2006 and 2010, Algeria was favored.
They dominated on Tuesday but could not find a way through Sierra Leone’s solid rearguard. Appearing at only their third AFCON finals and they are first since 1996, Sierra Leone went close themselves midway through the first half through Alhaji Kamara and Umaru Bangura.
But they only managed one attempt on target throughout. The second half was all Algeria, yet Mohamed Kamara pulled off some excellent saves to deny Yacine Brahimi and Manchester City’s Mahrez. One-time England international Steven Caulker made a superb block from Sofiane Bendebka.
Algeria was able to call on the likes of Baghdad Bounedjah —- who netted the winner against Senegal in the 2019 final —- and Said Benrahma from the bench. But the West Ham attacker spurned a glorious opportunity late on as the holders’ profligacy proved costly in an underwhelming start to their title defense.
They are in a group that also includes Côte d’Ivoire and Equatorial Guinea.

Subscribe

Latest stories

LEAVE A REPLY

Please enter your comment!
Please enter your name here