Angola secured a point in their Africa Cup of Nations opener after holding Algeria to a 1-1 draw on Monday night.
Africa Cup of Nations
Result: Algeria 1-1 Angola
Date: 16 January 2024
Venue: Stade de Bouaké
Former Manchester City forward Riyad Mahrez skippered Algeria on the right wing, with Baghdad Bounedjah spearheading the attack while Islam Slimani and Sofiane Feghouli were reserved.
The Desert Foxes wanted to set the tone from the first while as nine minutes in Youcef Belaili almost opened the scoring with a curling shot that was parried away by goalkeeper Adilson Cipriano Da Cruz.
The North African giants eventually went ahead on 18 minutes after Bounedjah found the back of the net with a volley past Da Cruz from a through over the defence.
Algeria had spaces in attack and Bounedjah thought he had made it 2-0 just before the half-hour mark with a well executed over-head-kick but the goal was disallowed for offside.
Djamel Belmadi's charges could not maintain their high pressure game in the closing phase of the first stanza but they did not allow Angola chances, as they settled for a 1-0 lead at half-time.
Angola were fired up from the break as they pressurized the Desert Foxes more frequently and on 66 minutes, they were eventually awarded a penalty after a foul in the box.
Before the spot-kick was taken, Belmadi had already decided to change personnel up top, as Slimani replaced Bounedjah and Youcef Belaili was withdrawn in favour of Adam Ounas.
Mabululu, a late change in the first stanza, levelled matters for the Southern African side, although from the rebound after his spot-kick came off the underside of the crossbar and he reacted the quickest to make it 1-1.
The game was fiercely contested in the closing stages, as Pedro Goncalves' troops did not give chances away, keeping the game on the edge.
Algeria had the attacking momentum in the dying minutes and they almost found the winner in stoppage time from a set-piece routine but Da Cruz made a crucial save and the sides started with a point apiece in Group D.
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