Mauritania claim historic win to dump Algeria out of Afcon

Mauritania served up another shock result at this year’s Africa Cup of Nations (Afcon) to dump 2019 winners Algeria out of the tournament with a 1-0 victory and seal a historic place in the last-16 at the Stade de la Paix on Tuesday.

Mauritania had never led in any of their previous eight matches at the continental finals, let alone won a game, but a first half goal from Yali Dellahi was enough to send Algeria packing in a second successive embarrassing early exit for coach Djamel Belmadi’s side after a similar failure in 2021.

Angola took top spot in Group D with seven points from three games followed by Burkina Faso (four), who they beat 2-0.

Mauritania (three) will be among the four best third-placed sides and earn a knockout spot.

Algeria end fourth (two).

Algeria look a shadow of the side that lifted the trophy in Egypt in 2019.

They dropped captain Riyad Mahrez to the bench against Mauritania but brought him on at halftime in a desperate bid to reverse their fortunes which proved fruitless in the end.