Algeria qualifies for 2026 World Cup | The Express Tribune

JOHANNESBURG:

Mohamed Amoura scored twice as Algeria beat Somalia 3-0 on Thursday to become the fourth qualifiers for the 2026 World Cup from Africa after Morocco, Tunisia and Egypt.

The Wolfsburg striker volleyed a Riyad Mahrez cross into the net on six minutes, then the former Manchester City winger slammed a loose ball into the net midway through the opening half.

Mahrez turned creator again on 57 minutes, setting up Amoura to stretch the lead to three goals. Coach Vladimir Petkovic, convinced that qualification was assured, then substituted both scorers.

It was a predictable outcome in western port city Oran as the Desert Foxes are 163 places above the Ocean Stars in the world rankings.

Algeria have 22 points in Group G with one round remaining, four more than second-placed Uganda. Mozambique lie third, followed by Guinea, Botswana and Somalia.

Luca Zidane, a son of French football legend Zinedine Zidane, had dominated the pre-match build-up having changed his senior international allegiance to Algeria.

A goalkeeper with Spanish second-tier club Granada, Luca Zidane represented France at youth levels, but was able to make the switch because his paternal grandparents were Algerian.

He was named among the substitutes by Bosnian coach Vladimir Petkovic with goalkeeper Alexis Guendouz from reigning Algerian champions Mouloudia Alger in the starting line-up.

Algeria will be making a fifth World Cup appearance when they travel to the 2026 tournament, which the United States, Canada and Mexico are co-hosting.

After first round exits in the 1982, 1986 and 2010 tournaments, they reached the second round at the 2014 World Cup in Brazil, losing 2-1 to eventual champions Germany.

Elsewhere, Ryan Ogam scored after 73 minutes to give Kenya a 1-0 win over Burundi in a fiery east African derby in Bujumbura, where the home side had to play with 10 men for all but six minutes.

Red card

Forward Bonfils-Caleb Bimenyimana was shown a straight red card after fouling Kenya goalkeeper Brian Okoth, whose injury forced him off to be replaced by Bryne Odhiambo.

The incident set the scene for a tense first half. When Kenyan Manzur Suleiman committed a studs-up foul, furious Burundians surrounded the referee, appealing for the yellow card to be changed to red.

Despite their numerical advantage, Kenya did not threaten to score until first-half added time when Jonathan Nahimana made a brilliant one-hand save from a long-range shot.

But the brave resistance of the Burundian Swallows finally broke when Ogam netted to lift the Kenyan Harambee Stars to third, eight points behind leaders and reigning African champions the Ivory Coast.

Ivory Coast and Gabon have dominated the six-nation Group F with one point dividing them going into their penultimate matches on Friday.

The Ivorians are away to the Seychelles in Mauritius because their Indian Ocean opponents do not have a FIFA-approved stadium.

Gabon have what is likely to be a much tougher task away in Nairobi to Gambia, another country lacking an international-standard venue.

Ivory Coast will secure a fourth World Cup appearance, and first since 2014, if they win and Gabon lose.

There are nine qualifiers scheduled for Friday, including three in Group C, where leaders Benin, South Africa, Nigeria, Rwanda and Lesotho all have a mathematical chance of finishing first.

Benin lead South Africa on goal difference, and both have three more points than Nigeria and Rwanda. Lesotho are five points behind the pacesetters.

Lesotho benefitted from having a 2-0 loss to South Africa last March changed to a 3-0 victory by FIFA because their opponents fielded the ineligible Teboho Mokoena.