The Desert Foxes of Algeria completed a double over the Teranga Lions of Senegal when they defeated them in the Total Africa Cup of Nations final at the Cairo International Stadium on Friday night, the Algerians edged their fellow group C opponent Senegal 1 nil for the often time having also defeated them with the same slim margin in their group C encounter. It could be seen as an identical achievement to the Algerian:s AFCON glory 29 years ago, en route to the 1990 triumph, Algeria defeated group opponent Nigeria and then went ahead to lift the trophy, defeating Nigeria again in the final, having overcome Senegal in the semifinal.
The clash was decided as quickly as it started and with a stroke of luck, barely 2 minutes into kickoff, Algeria's striker Baghdad Bounedjah broke down his left-hand side of the pitch, he cut infield and fired a right-footed shot that took a wicked deflection high into the sky off Senegal's stand-in defender Salif Sane and dropping into the far post leaving goalie Alfred Gomis stranded and flat-footed. Algeria would then defended their lead, soaking all the pressure Senegal threw at them going into the half-time break.
Senegal continued to dominate possession at the restart and had a spot-kick chopped off by VAR just past the hour mark. Ismail Sarr's low in-swing hit the arm of Algerian Adlene Guedioura and the referee pointed to the spot, however, the decision was overruled by VAR as Guedioura's arm wasn't out of its natural position. A feisty 2nd-half it was that saw fouls flying in from both side, Algeria's Djamel Benlamri had to be mended by the medical staff for a cut in the face. In the end, Algeria held on to the 1 nil to win their 2nd ever AFCON glory since they won their 1st on home soil in 1990.
It wasn't a vintage performance we all expected from the Algerians, but they got the job done. They were dogged and resolute in defence, they gave up flare and possessive football in favour of safety, uncharacteristically conceding 32 fouls in the night, took 2 shots all night and the solitary shot on target found the back of the net. Senegal, on the other hand, would feel hard done by on themselves having dominated possession but yet fell shot, their poor finishing let them down having fired 12 shots and saw just 3 on target. While some feel Senegal missed their best defender in Kalidou Koulibaly who sat out a suspension, I feel Salif Same who stood in for him covered remarkably well, the deflection that came off Sane could have been any player in the field. Heartbreak for Senegal as another golden generation missed out of AFCON glory and will have to wait another 2 years. It could be recalled how the last golden generation that includes the likes of the present coach Aliou Cisse and El Hadji Diouf came agonisingly close in 2002 but lost out to Cameroon in a penalty- shootout.
Individual Awards:
• Tournament's Best Goalkeeper went to Algeria's Rais M'Bolhi who kept 5 clean sheets out of 7 matches, conceding just 2 goals, 1 each to Nigeria and the Ivory Coast.
• Tournament Most Valuable Player also went to Algeria's Ismael Bennacer for the commanding midfield displays that saw him notched 3 assists and completed all but 1 of the 7 matches he played.
• Tournament's Top Scorer, of course, went to Nigeria's Odion Ighalo for his 5 goals heroics.
•Consolations to Senegal as Krepin Diatta won Tournament's Young Player while the team wins Best Fairplay Team.
Best XI:
Goalkeeper: Rais M’Bolhi (Algeria)
Defenders: Lamine Gassama (Senegal), Yassine Meriah (Tunisia), Youssouf Sabaly (Senegal), Kalidou Koulibaly (Senegal),
Midfielders: Adlene Guediora (Algeria), Idrissa Gana Gueye (Senegal), Ismael Bennacer (Algeria)
Forwards: Riyad Mahrez (Algeria), Sadio Mane (Senegal), Odion Jude Ighalo (Nigeria)
Coach: Djamel Belmadi (Algeria)
Curtain has finally dropped on the Africa Cup of Nation, Egypt 2019, thank you all for been part of it all.
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