Football in Djibouti has come quite a long way in recent times, but nothing could prepare the Shoremen of the Red Sea for the wrath of Africa’s current best team as Algeria ran away with an 8-0 thrashing on Thursday in FIFA World Cup qualifying. Islam Slimani and Riyad Mahrez played their part with Slimani scoring four goals and Mahrez providing a goal and an assist. The Fennecs take the lead in Group A over Burkina Faso on goal difference and will next take on the Burkinabé side, their stiffest competition for the group winner spot.
There was no doubt about how the result would turn out from the beginning, and the hosts got to work building up their goal tally. In the 5th minute, Mahrez got to the end line and floated an excellent cross with his weaker right foot that gave Slimani time to rise above the Djiboutian defense to head in the opener. The visitors managed to hold out for 20 minutes after first conceding, but when Slimani followed up a shot and his effort was batted away by the hand of Youssouf Batio, Slimani converted the penalty kick after Batio was sent off and the goal scoring increased from then on.
Two minutes after Slimani’s penalty kick conversion, left back Ramy Bensebaini rocketed a shot past Djibouti keeper Innocent Hankuye and then another penalty was awarded fifteen minutes later. After a discussion over who should take the spot kick, it was Baghdad Bounedjah who stepped up to obtain his first goal of the match.
Slimani scored two more goals within the first ten minutes of the second half, both assisted by Youcef Belaïli. Mahrez got his goal in the 67th minute when he cut inside from the right flank and unleashed a well placed low shot inside Hankuye’s far post. Two minutes later, Ramiz Zerrouki wrapped up the scoring for Algeria and that was the end of the damage inflicted by the Fennecs.
Video of all the Algerian goals are in the link below.
