Algeria extended their impressive run to 18 matches unbeaten inside 90 minutes after a narrow 1-0 win over Burkina Faso sealed their place in the knockout rounds of the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations from Group E.

The Greens started on the front foot and felt they should have had a penalty inside the opening two minutes when Bertrand Traoré went down in the box, but the appeals were waved away. They wouldn’t have to wait long for another opportunity, though, as Rayan Aït-Nouri was adjudged to have been fouled by Ismahila Ouedraogo in the 22nd minute. Riyad Mahrez stepped up and coolly sent Hervé Koffi the wrong way, marking his seventh goal contribution in his last five international appearances.

Buoyed by the opener, Algeria pushed for a second and came close nine minutes before half-time when Mohamed Amoura blazed over from close range despite having time and space. Burkina Faso, largely subdued going forward in the first half, almost levelled just before the break as Pierre Kabore’s close-range header rattled the right post.

The Stallions were nearly made to pay for that miss in stoppage time when Amoura broke clear one-on-one, only for Koffi to produce a crucial save to keep his side in the contest.

Burkina Faso showed greater intent after the restart and almost repeated their dramatic stoppage-time heroics from midweek when Giorgi Minoungou, the match-winner against Equatorial Guinea, dragged a right-footed effort narrowly wide from distance shortly after the hour mark.

At the other end, Ibrahim Maza twice threatened to double Algeria’s advantage, firing wide with his first attempt before being denied from point-blank range by an alert Koffi after some quick footwork created the opening.

Despite having scored at least twice in five of their previous seven matches, Burkina Faso struggled to find cutting edge in the final third, and an equaliser never truly looked forthcoming as they suffered their first defeat of the tournament.

Even so, the Stallions remain well placed in Group E, sitting second ahead of their final game. A draw against Sudan will be enough to secure progression and see them join Algeria in the AFCON knockout stages.