Africa Cup of Nations: One Step from Greatness

Senegal vs Algeria

It’s time to crown the kings of a continent.

The next Kings of Africa will be officially decided in the Cairo International Stadium on Friday night and the occasion is unlikely to be one for the faint-hearted.

With the likes of Riyad Mahrez and Sadio Mane among the talent on display, the scene is set for the showpiece, the climax of a tournament which has produced Africa Cup of Nations highlights galore over the past month.

Senegal have not defeated Algeria for little over a decade, yet that will count for little with both nations so closely matched and tipped for the silverware, depending on which pundit you read.

Talking Points

Algeria will try to continue their unbeaten streak when they face Senegal in Africa Cup of Nations finals

Despite there being little between the nations, Algeria are widely considered the competition favourites and have clear character as well as class, as shown by the fact they would simply not be denied when Mahrez struck a quite brilliant free-kick into the top corner to seal a last-gasp victory in Sunday’s semi-final against the ‘Super Eagles’ of Nigeria.

The form book is with them too.

They are unbeaten in their last 12 outings, on a run of seven consecutive victories, and unbeaten in their last seven Africa Cup of Nations games.

Equally as impressive, the Desert Warriors, chasing their first AFCON title since 1990 (their only one to date), have only conceded twice at this year’s tournament with shut outs against Kenya, Senegal, Tanzania and Guinea.

Yet Senegal have also been resolute in this competition.

They have only conceded one goal in six games at the tournament – that was against Algeria in their group encounter – and have a clear determined streak of their own when it comes to the defensive side of their game – although there is no doubt they will miss centre back Kalidou Koulibaly, the Napoli defender is suspended from the final after accumulating two yellow cards in three games.

They also have the hunger that Algeria have. For Senegal, who last reached the Africa Cup of Nations final in 2002 (when they lost to Cameroon), have never won the tournament.

For the Desert Warriors, the Mahrez magic is accompanied by the likes of former West Ham and Valencia man Sofiane Feghouli, veteran shot-stopper Rais M’Bolhi and the influential duo of Baghdad Bounedjah and the lively Ramy Bensebaini to name a few.

Senegal have Mane, Everton man Idrissa Gueye, another Premier League man in Cheikhou Kouyate and Henri Saivet to name a few more.

According to the CIES Football Observatory’s most recent figures, Senegal has 203 expatriate footballers in the 147 leagues covered. It makes them the world’s 16th-biggest exporter of players – a phenomenal record given the country’s size and lack of wealth.

What a story it would be if they and coach Aliou Cisse could clinch African football’s biennial showpiece.

What a story it would be if Algeria could end 29 year of hurt.

Something has to give.

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History

They have met 22 times in total and Senegal have only won on four occasions.

Ironically, they were four successive wins between 2001 and 2008.

Two of those matches were mere friendlies with the others coming in a 2002 World Cup qualifier – when future Liverpool player El Hadji Diouf notched a hat-trick in a 3-0 win – and in a qualifier for the 2010 World Cup when Ibrahima Faye scored the only goal of the game.

In the Africa Cup of Nations, they have obviously already met in this competition, when Youcef Belailij fired Algeria to a 1-0 success, and two years ago when they shared four goals in the group stages.

Islam Slimani twice put Algeria in front and twice Senegal hit back through Papakouli Diop and Moussa Sow.

They also clashed in the 2015 competition, again in the group stages, when Algeria ran out 2-0 winners.

Their first ever meeting came in a 1977 friendly when Algeria won by the same scoreline.