Stalemate enough for Angola and Algeria

Published on Monday 18 January 2010 22:01

ANGOLA and Algeria reached the quarter-finals at the African Nations Cup yesterday following a goalless draw. Angola topped Group A with five points, one more than Algeria and Mali. Malawi finished with three points.

Mali beat Malawi 3-1 in the other group game but missed out on advancing to the final eight as they lost 1-0 to Algeria last week.

Angola, knowing a draw would be enough to guarantee their spot in the quarter-finals, looked slow and lethargic in the second half.

Algeria's Nadir Belhadj made an error inside the six-yard box in the seventh minute to give Angola a great chance, but the Portsmouth defender made a quick recovery to block Djalma's shot.

Madjid Bougherra, the Rangers defender, responded for Algeria, forcing a diving save from goalkeeper Carlos in the 21st minute after getting on the end of a free kick from Belhadj.

Algeria took control of the game after half-time, almost scoring in the opening stages but Mohamed Ghezzal missed Hamer Bouazza's cross into the penalty area. They had other chances but couldn't convert.

A dream start for Mali helped them clinch a first pool win in the other game in Cabinda. Frederic Kanoute scored after just a minute thanks to a goalkeeping blunder from Swadick Sanudi and Seydou Keita added a second with a thumping free-kick two minutes later.

Russel Mwafulirwa pulled one back for Malawi after 58 minutes, but he will have gone to bed last night still ruing a missed header after 71 minutes which could have put his side through.

Instead, Mamadou Bagayoko added another for Mali with four minutes to play, but the result was of no use to either side.