Algeria defeated Somalia 3-0 on Thursday thanks to two goals from Mohamed Amoura, making them the fourth African nation to qualify for the 2026 World Cup after Morocco, Tunisia, and Egypt.
Halfway through the first half, the former Manchester City winger smashed a loose ball into the goal after the Wolfsburg striker had volleyed a cross from Riyad Mahrez into the goal six minutes earlier.
On minute 57, Mahrez once again created a goal, allowing Amoura to increase the lead to three. Convinced that qualifying was guaranteed, coach Vladimir Petkovic promptly replaced both of the goal scorers.
Given that the Desert Foxes are 163 spots higher in the world rankings than the Ocean Stars, the result in the western port city of Oran was expected.
With one round left in Group G, Algeria leads second-place Uganda by four points with 22 points. Third place goes to Mozambique, then Guinea, Botswana, and Somalia.
After switching his senior international allegiance to Algeria, Luca Zidane, the son of French football star Zinedine Zidane, had dominated the pregame build-up.
Luca Zidane, a goalkeeper for Granada, a Spanish second-tier team, played for France in his youth but was able to move because his paternal grandparents were Algerian.
With goalkeeper Alexis Guendouz from the defending Algerian champions Mouloudia Alger in the starting lineup, Bosnian coach Vladimir Petkovic included him as one of the substitutes.
Traveling to the 2026 tournament, which is being co-hosted by the United States, Canada, and Mexico, will be Algeria's sixth World Cup appearance.
They advanced to the second round of the 2014 World Cup in Brazil after losing 2-1 to eventual champions Germany in the 1982, 1986, and 2010 editions.
Meanwhile, in a fierce east African derby in Bujumbura, where the home team was forced to play with 10 men for all but six minutes, Ryan Ogam scored after 73 minutes to earn Kenya a 1-0 victory against Burundi.
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