Africa Cup of Nations: Algeria Defeat DR Congo, Qualify for Quarterfinals

Rabat: The Algerian national team qualified for the quarterfinals of the 35th Africa Cup of Nations, being held in Morocco, after defeating the Democratic Republic of Congo 1-0 on Tuesday in the round of 16. The match went to extra time before being decided in the final minute. According to Qatar News Agency, the Algerian team owe their qualification to Adil Boulbina, who scored the winning goal in the 119th minute, leading his country to the quarterfinals. Boulbina, who plays for Al Duhail SC in Qatar, came on as a substitute for seven minutes, scoring the winning goal and earning the Man of the Match award for his powerful shot that decided the game and prevented a penalty shootout. The match was characterized by a high level of physicality from both teams, who displayed impressive abilities in both attacking and defensive transitions. Algeria ultimately achieved their objective before the match went to penalties, as the score remained level throughout. The Algerian national team, champions in 1990 and 2 019, will face Nigeria, three-time champions (1980, 1994, and 2013), in the quarterfinals next Saturday. Meanwhile, the Democratic Republic of Congo, champions in 1968 and 1974, were eliminated from the tournament.