2nd African Cup of Nations for Algeria

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A second star for history: Algeria won the African Cup of Nations, to close in the jubilant 29 years of a long wait since his first coronation, after defeating Senegal (1-0) in the final , Friday in Cairo.

From the international stadium to the streets of Algiers and major French cities, thousands of green, white and red flags will float with the wind of victory during a night of intense celebrations, at the height of the feat achieved by the Fennecs.

On tiptoe at the Pyramids, they leave Egypt with the scepter of African Champion they deserved, over a mastery tournament end to end that saw them beat twice the Lions of the Teranga, the best of the Continent in the FIFA rankings.

After their group success, the Fennecs repeated their performance, thanks to a goal by Baghdad Bounedjah (2), assisted by Salif Sané who deflected his shot. Despite all the tension of a clashed final, and the stress of a video assistance intervention to arbitration (VAR), they held the shock to touch the gold, again.

Star of the selection, Riyad Mahrez was not born on March 16, 1990, like the majority of his teammates, in the day of the only coronation, at home, of his country passionate of soccer, but rarely rewarded.

The young executives Ismael Bennacer, Youcef Belaïli, or Bounedjah, either, but it is these faces of Algeria that wins that will celebrate a mobilized population against its aging leaders, in full "hirak".

 Signed Belmadi

Transgendered, according to some, by the protest movement that took root partly in the stadiums, the players have written in their own way in the history books this Friday, traditional day of protest.

July 19 saw the arrival of a new generation and its guide Djamel Belmadi, who transformed in a year a moribund team, absent from the World-2018, in a machine to win.

At the final whistle, when all the players sprinted to the white and green turn, the coach collapsed on the pitch. This success bears his mark.

If he lives every minute with passion near the bench, still standing to give instructions, it is his sense of discipline and detail that has made Fennecs lions on the field: Senegal, despite all the talent of Sadio Mané, did not find the key of the tactical fortress to equalize.

The match turned around the goal of Raïs M'Bolhi will leave them inevitably regrets. The Senegalese have paid dearly for the suspension of their rock Kalidou Koulibaly, whose substitute Sané provoked the goal of Bounedjah.

with the VAR

They also suffered from their great clumsiness in the set pieces and the last gesture, like Ismaïla Sarr (82). When Youssouf Sabaly, with a magnificent strike, found a fault, the goalkeeper intervened (69).

Their fate could have changed to 60, when the referee Alioum Alioum hissed a penalty for a hand of Adlène Guedioura. But after three minutes of viewing the VAR, the Cameroonian has reversed his decision, judging the gesture involuntary - as a symbol of the "lose" of Lions, often favored but never sacred.

Unhappy finalist in 2002 as captain, the coach Aliou Cissé will have to wait to raise this much desired cup. The night will seem long, especially since it will be short for Algerian fans.

They were nearly 20,000 supporters in white and green, some came by the "airlift" of 28 special flights organized by the authorities, to fill their happiness the Cairo stadium.

Despite the stormy history between the two countries, fans of the Fennecs even received applause from the Egyptians after paying tribute to local legend Mohamed Aboutrika, in the 22nd minute, the number of the former player. For Algeria, the evening in Egypt has been won at all levels.

African Nations Cup of Nations - Final

Cairo (Cairo International Stadium): Algeria beats Senegal 1-0 (1-0)

Referee: N. Alioum (CMR)

Goal:

Algeria: Bounedjah (2)

warnings:

Senegal: Gueye (79), Gassama (80)

Algeria: Bensebaini (33), Belaili (54), Mandi (90 + 2), Guedioura (90 + 4)

The teams:

Senegal: Gomis - Gassama, Kouyate, S. Sané, Sabaly - Sarr, Ndiaye (Diatta 59), Gueye, Saivet (Diagne 75), Mané - Niang (Baldé 85)

Coach: Aliou Cissé

Algeria: Mbolhi - Zeffane, Mandi, Benlamri, Bensebaini - Feghouli (Tahrat 85), Guedioura, Bennacer - Mahrez, Bounedjah (Slimani 89), Belaili (Brahimi 84)

Coach: Djamel Belmadi

The last ten winners

2019: Algeria


2017: Cameroon


2015: Ivory Coast


2013: Nigeria


2012: Zambia


2010: Egypt


2008: Egypt


2006: Egypt


2004: Tunisia


2002: Cameroon

Number of titles by country (the first edition took place in 1957):


1. Egypt: 7 titles (1957, 1959, 1986, 1998, 2006, 2008, 2010)


2. Cameroon: 5 (1984, 1988, 2000, 2002, 2017)

3. Ghana: 4 (1963, 1965, 1978, 1982)