Angola 0-0 Algeria: Hosts Draw As Both Sides Progress

Posted Tuesday, January 19, 2010 by Goal.com

Both sides reached their objective of progressing to the next round, despite the scoreless draw.

Angola and their rivals Algeria cruised to the quarter-finals of the Africa Cup of Nations after playing to a 0-0 draw in the last match of Group A.

The game started at a frenetic pace with Angola showing flashes of urgency as the massive home crowd gave them great support from the stands. But it was Algeria who went close when they got the first corner of the match in the third minute. The Angolan defenders managed to clear the danger.

In the seventh minute, Algerian left-back Madjid Bougherra almost gifted Angola the opener when he tried to showboat near his own goalmouth only for Angolan midfielder Djalma to snatch the ball. His shot was cut out for a fruitless corner.
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By the tenth minute, the game was stuck in the midfield as both teams tried to break each other’s defence but all was done in vain.

In the 13th minute, Angolan overlapping left-back Mabina beat his marker Karim Matmour but the Algerian held his jersey earning himself the first yellow of the game. The resultant free-kick by Gilberto was cleared out of the danger area.

Angola continued their onslaught with Mabina again breaking loose on the left wing before releasing a curving cross which missed the crossbar by inches.

Algeria almost scored a few minutes later when a free kick from the right found Bougherra alone with the Angolan keeper four yards from the goal-line but Carlos Fernandes reacted well to block the shot. Two minutes later, Carlos was almost caught off guard by a shot from the centre of the field by Bougherra, but it eased out with the keeper well beaten.

As the clock ticked to the half hour mark, the tempo of the game went a notch higher with both teams making attacking onslaughts but both defences were hawk eyed. The absence of Angolan lethal attacker Flavio was easily visible as Manucho stayed isolated upfront with only Mabina trying to locate him from the left flank.

The huge home crowd filling the 50,000 stadium kept on urging the home lads on but Algeria stayed firm as the game remained 0-0.

In the 39th minute Angola won a free kick near the danger zone which was taken by Ze Karanga but that too was cleared away. The ball was returned to the Algerian goalmouth after Manucho picked out Gilberto with a clever flick and the midfielder released the ball to Djalma in the box who instinctively connected, but the resultant shot was harmless as the keeper managed to block away from goal. The rebound found Ze Karanga near the box but his poor shot wouldn’t find the target.

The first half ended at 0-0 with both sides playing a cautious game. In the second half, the urgency for both teams to score was clear but it was Algeria who almost got the opener in the 48th minute when Ghezzal raced on the left and picked Matmour who was marooned between Kali and Zuela. The defenders managed to out manoeuvre Matmour but Zuela was carried off the field after sustaining what looked like a serious injury. He was later replaced by Descaries.

Matmour went close again two minutes later but his shot was deflected for a fruitless corner. After the two unproductive attempts, the pressure pulp was turned on Algeria with Ze Karanga threatening twice in a span of five minutes.

In the 64th minute the impressive Ze Karanga was replaced by 23-year-old Ricardo Job to reinforce the blunt Angolan attack marshalled by Manucho who had until then been largely anonymous, unlike in the previous two matches.

In the 67th minute, Algeria also brought in Lazio’s Meghni in place of Hameur Bouazza who plays for Blackpool in England. Both teams filled the midfield and the defence with players, as the play remained at the centre as each side failed to penetrate. Algeria managed a long shot but the ball was edged out for a corner. The resultant short corner landed in the safe hands of Carlos.

The home crowd shored up their support for a goal that would lift their side to take top spot in the group, but Algeria remained unrelenting with about nine players placing an impregnable wall in their half as the minutes ticked. In the 82nd minute, Algeria sneaked through the left flank, but the cross was kept away from danger by Mabina.

With five minutes to go Abdelkader Laifaoui was yellow carded over unclear circumstances when we headed a low ball near the edge of the box. The resultant free kick though landed in the hands of the Algerian keeper.

The game was cruising to the dying minutes and a draw was safe for both sides, considering the Malawi - Mali result.

In the 89th minute Matmour was replaced by Nantes Djamal Abdoun after sustaining an injury while Johnson came in for Manucho as the fourth official flashed two minutes before the game ended. But before the late entrants touched the ball, the final whistle blew to end the touchy encounter.