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Patson Daka Goal – Algeria vs Zambia 0-1 (WC Qualifiers 2018)
Zambia crushed Algeria’s 2018 World Cup hopes with a slender 1-0 win over the Desert Warriors at the Stade Mohamed-Hamlaoui in Constantine on Tuesday night.
Algeria controlled the flow of the game early on and should have taken the lead in the 16th minute, but Riyad Mahrez failed to score from a penalty sport.
Algeria suffered a further setback in the 24th minute when goalkeeper Rais M’Bolhi had to leave the field injured and was replaced by Abdelkadir Salhi.
The disruption in the Algerian team allowed the hard-fighting Zambians a chance to claw their way back into a match they had been mere spectators in until then.
Zambia began seeing more of the ball and pressed forward in their aggressive attacking nature, but they could not find any goals before the half time break.
The visiting Southern Africans came out the tunnel a much better looking side and seemed ready to cause an upset in Constantine.
Algeria’s Youcef Attal looked to be struggling in the middle of the park and he was quickly replaced by Adam Ounas in the 54th minute.
Zambia responded directly to counter that substitution when Justin Shonga was replaced by Alex Ngonga on the hour mark.
After six minutes of being on the field, Zambian substitute Alex Ngonga turned provider as he played Patson Daka through on goal and he duly found the back of the net with a clinical finish.
Algeria tried to rescue the match, but were unable to do so.
The loss leaves Algeria rooted at the bottom of Group B, World Cup qualifying with one point to their name and unable to qualify for Russia – same as Cameroon who are third with three points following their 1-1 draw with Nigeria on Monday.
The win for Zambia sees them keep up their pressure on Nigeria in Group B – the Southern African side has seven points, three behind leaders Nigeria.
Algeria (0) 0
Zambia (0) 1 (Daka 67’)
Algeria: M’Bolhi (Salhi 24’), Ghoulam, Bensebaini, Benguit, Mandi, Brahimi (Slimani 74), Taider, Attal (Ounas 50’), Mahrez, Bentaleb, Soudani.
Zambia: Mweene, Kampumbu, Sunzu, Tembo, Silwimba, Mulenga, Mwepu, Mtonga, Mbewe, Shonga (Ngonga 60’), Daka (Malama 90’).