Algeria's last-gasp winner sparks wild celebrations as DR Congo fall short at AFCON
In a thrilling match that ebbed and flowed throughout its duration, Algeria secured a hard-fought 1-0 victory over Democratic Republic of Congo in the Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) quarterfinals. The stunning late winner, scored by substitute Adil Boulbina in the 119th minute, set up an exciting showdown with Nigeria on Saturday.
Boulbina's thunderous strike proved to be the decisive moment in a match that had been closely contested until its climax. With the score level at 0-0 after regular time, Algeria began to dominate possession and create scoring opportunities in extra time, only for DR Congo goalkeeper Lionel Mpasi to deny Fares Chaibi on two occasions.
In contrast, it was Boulbina who emerged from the bench with a dramatic flourish, receiving a perfectly weighted pass from teammate Ramiz Zerrouki before unleashing a vicious strike into the net. The 22-year-old Algeria forward's goal sparked wild celebrations among the home crowd of 18,837 fans at the Moulay El Hassan Stadium in Rabat, Morocco.
The win marks an impressive turnaround for Algeria, who had been struggling to replicate their 2019 title success. With Boulbina and Zerrouki combining to clinch victory, the Algerian team now face a fascinating quarterfinal showdown with Nigeria on Saturday.
However, the match also brought disappointment for DR Congo, who had come into the AFCON with high ambitions. The Leopards will now have the opportunity to console themselves with an intercontinental playoff in March, where a win against either New Caledonia or Jamaica could see them qualify for their first World Cup since 1974.
Algeria, meanwhile, remain focused on going all the way in Morocco and winning a third continental title. With Boulbina's goal sparking renewed confidence among the Algerian camp, the team is now set to take on Nigeria in a highly anticipated quarterfinal matchup that promises to be an exciting clash of titans.
In a thrilling match that ebbed and flowed throughout its duration, Algeria secured a hard-fought 1-0 victory over Democratic Republic of Congo in the Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) quarterfinals. The stunning late winner, scored by substitute Adil Boulbina in the 119th minute, set up an exciting showdown with Nigeria on Saturday.
Boulbina's thunderous strike proved to be the decisive moment in a match that had been closely contested until its climax. With the score level at 0-0 after regular time, Algeria began to dominate possession and create scoring opportunities in extra time, only for DR Congo goalkeeper Lionel Mpasi to deny Fares Chaibi on two occasions.
In contrast, it was Boulbina who emerged from the bench with a dramatic flourish, receiving a perfectly weighted pass from teammate Ramiz Zerrouki before unleashing a vicious strike into the net. The 22-year-old Algeria forward's goal sparked wild celebrations among the home crowd of 18,837 fans at the Moulay El Hassan Stadium in Rabat, Morocco.
The win marks an impressive turnaround for Algeria, who had been struggling to replicate their 2019 title success. With Boulbina and Zerrouki combining to clinch victory, the Algerian team now face a fascinating quarterfinal showdown with Nigeria on Saturday.
However, the match also brought disappointment for DR Congo, who had come into the AFCON with high ambitions. The Leopards will now have the opportunity to console themselves with an intercontinental playoff in March, where a win against either New Caledonia or Jamaica could see them qualify for their first World Cup since 1974.
Algeria, meanwhile, remain focused on going all the way in Morocco and winning a third continental title. With Boulbina's goal sparking renewed confidence among the Algerian camp, the team is now set to take on Nigeria in a highly anticipated quarterfinal matchup that promises to be an exciting clash of titans.
! i feel for dr congo though, they had some great chances but just couldn't capitalize. nigeria is gonna be a tough one to beat next tho... i love how algeria is just taking it game by game now, no more stressing about the title 
, his goal was insane! And to think it was a substitute who scored the winner... DR Congo just couldn't catch a break 
. Their fans must be gutted, but they've still got their heads up and are looking forward to an intercontinental playoff - let's see them make a comeback in March 
Algeria on the other hand is feeling confident now that Boulbina's goal gave them a renewed sense of purpose 
. Can't wait for the next match against Nigeria, it's gonna be EPIC!!! 
. It's all about perseverance and believing in yourself. We can learn from their mentality 
. And also, it reminds us that everyone has a chance to make an impact, even as a substitute player 
. So, don't count yourself out just yet! Keep pushing forward and who knows what might happen 
! They've been through some tough times since their last AFCON title and it's amazing they managed to turn things around like this. That Boulbina goal was absolute madness 
- I mean, who scores a winner in the 119th minute? 
And now they're onto Nigeria, which is gonna be a real challenge for them. The crowd must've been going wild with joy at that stadium 
. I mean, who doesn't love an underdog story? And hey, at least they get to try out for a World Cup spot in March, right? 
It's all good vibes, you know? Algeria's just trying to stay focused and win that third AFCON title 
...and Boulbina's goal was straight fire 
The DR Congo goalkeeper was decent but that one pass from Zerrouki was pure magic 
. But seriously, Algeria's resurgence is a great story. From struggling with the team and all, they're back in contention now. Fingers crossed for them against Nigeria next! 
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. And let's not forget the role of Zerrouki – that guy is like a Trojan horse for Algeria, sneaking in and causing chaos 
.
. Can't wait to see how Algeria takes on Nigeria next 
its crazy how much drama there was in that game, first fares chaibi missed a couple of chances for algeria but they kept pushing until boulbina came on and changed everything 
his late winner was pure poetry and a testament to algeria's never-say-die attitude 
i'm talking thriller alert! but at the same time, i feel bad for dr congo, they had high hopes and now they gotta try to come back from this 
. DR Congo on the other hand, well... you gotta feel for 'em 
. They gave it a good go but just couldn't get that one goal over the line