Algeria showed no signs of a slow down in form as the Fennecs opened the scoring early before running off to a 4-0 destruction of Sudan on Wednesday in the 2021 FIFA Arab Cup. Baghdad Bounedjah scored twice before veterans Djamel Benlamri and El Arbi Soudani added goals of their own to help Algeria move to the top of Group D and establish themselves as favorites to win the group. Sudan are long shots to advance with games against Egypt and Lebanon awaiting.
There was never any doubt about who would take the points from the beginning. Algeria dominated proceedings and it did not take long for the opening goal to come from Bounedjah. Soudani provided an excellent through ball from the midfield to send the Al-Sadd striker in on goal before Bounedjah rounded Sudan keeper Ali Eshrein and clinically finished into an empty net.
Sudan failed to generate a shot in the first half, and were able to hold out for a while until buckling under Algerian pressure later on in the opening stanza. It was Bounedjah who popped up again to make it two in the 37th minute after Yacine Brahimi got to the end line and cut back low for Bounedjah, whose low shot from ten yards out was rather tame but snuck by poor goalkeeping from Eshrein. Just before halftime it was Brahimi who provided a corner kick that was flicked on at the near post by Sofiane Bendebka for Benlamri to stoop down and apply a headed finish at the far post.
The Sudanese misery was completed right after the start of the second half. Soudani’s high pressure caused a giveaway by Sudan’s defense and the 34-year-old Damac FC forward took possession and fired his shot by Eshrein in quick succession, leaving the Al-Hilal Omdurman backstop with little time to react before the ball was by him and into the net.
With a strong veteran side, Algeria surely look to be one of the major favorites to take top prize. Highlights of their win are a click away in the link below.
