Algeria opened their 2025 Africa Cup of Nations campaign with a 3-0 win over Sudan, led by a Riyad Mahrez brace that also delivered a slice of tournament history and sent Algeria to the top of Group E
ahead of Burkina Faso on goal difference.
Mahrez struck in the second and 60th minutes at Stade Prince Moulay El Hassan, before substitute Ibrahim Maza added a late third, while Sudan played more than 50 minutes with 10 players after Salah Adil was dismissed for two yellow cards.
With two goals against Sudan, Mahrez became Algeria’s record scorer at AFCON, moving to eight goals and overtaking Lakhdar Belloumi’s tally of six, while also taking Algeria above Burkina Faso in Group E, after Burkina Faso beat Equatorial Guinea 2-1 with two stoppage-time goals.
Across the last four matches for Algeria in all competitions, Mahrez has now scored four times and delivered two assists, which equals the total number of goal involvements recorded by Mahrez during the previous 19 AFCON appearances, when Mahrez managed two goals and four assists.
Algeria began fast, taking the lead inside two minutes when Mahrez controlled an improvised backheel from Hicham Boudaoui, then bent a low shot into the bottom-left corner, although Sudan reacted with some pressure of their own before the contest changed late in the first half.
Salah Adil received a second yellow card in the 39th minute for a late challenge on Rayan Ait-Nouri, having already been booked after 17 minutes for a needless foul on Ramy Bensebaini, leaving Sudan to finish the game with 10 players and facing a long defensive effort.
AFCON 2025: Algeria dominance, key statistics and xG data
Despite holding a numerical advantage, Algeria had difficulty turning control into clear chances and did not test goalkeeper Monged El Neel again until near the hour, when Baghdad Bounedjah’s shot from inside the area was blocked by El Neel’s legs, keeping Sudan in the contest.
Algeria ended the match with 14 attempts and an expected goals total of 1.98, compared with Sudan’s five efforts and 0.32 xG, while Mahrez led the team with five touches inside the opposition penalty area, a pass accuracy of 95% and six total crosses from the right flank.
AFCON 2025: Second Mahrez goal and Maza late strike
The second Algerian goal arrived on 60 minutes, when Mohammed Amoura produced a clever outside-of-the-foot pass into space, allowing Mahrez to take a steadying touch and then finish calmly, before Amoura later struck the post with a fierce effort from a rehearsed corner routine.
Maza completed the scoring five minutes from full time, reacting to Bounedjah’s headed knockdown and driving the ball home, giving Algeria their first AFCON opening-match victory since beating Kenya 2-0 in 2019 and extending an unbeaten run in tournament openers to six games, matching a sequence from 1980 to 1990.
Mahrez’s brace against Sudan was the sixth multi-goal performance recorded for Algeria, and the first since October 2021 against Niger in World Cup qualifying, underlining ongoing influence at international level despite a long club career, while Burkina Faso’s dramatic success kept Group E finely poised after matchday one.
In the other Group E fixture, Equatorial Guinea went down to 10 players when Basilio Ndong was sent off in the 50th minute, but still moved in front thanks to Marvin Anieboh’s strike after 85 minutes, before Burkina Faso responded during eight minutes of added time with late goals from Georgi Minoungou and Edmond Tapsoba.
Minoungou drew Burkina Faso level with a low finish, then Tapsoba headed the winner in the 98th minute after goalkeeper Jesus Owono pushed a cross towards the Bayer Leverkusen defender, ensuring Burkina Faso stay close behind Algeria, who now prepare for a second group match against Burkina Faso with momentum and a clear lead on goal difference.
FULL-TIME! A smooth start for Algeria with a 3-0 win in their opening match. #TotalEnergiesAFCON2025 | @tecnomobile pic.twitter.com/kZVT5VxyPVTotalEnergies AFCON 2025 (@CAF_Online) December 24, 2025
