VIDEO SHOWS: POST-MATCH COMMENTS FROM ALGERIA COACH VLADIMIR PETKOVIC & MAN OF THE MATCH IBRAHIM MAZA FOLLOWING THEIR 1-0 WIN OVER BURKINA FASO IN AFCON GROUP E ACTION SHOWS: RABAT, MOROCCO (DECEMBER 28, 2025) (STATS PERFORM – Access all) 1. (SOUNDBITE) (Italian) ALGERIA COACH, VLADIMIR PETKOVIC, SAYING: “First of all, I can say that it was a real match. Not a qualifying match, but a high-level match. We saw two teams fighting for 95 minutes for every inch of the pitch, with both teams creating chances, and we were slightly better at taking advantage of the opportunity we had. Congratulations to our opponents, and as I told their coach, they will certainly do well if they continue like this. Above all, congratulations to my team.” 2. WHITE FLASH 3. (SOUNDBITE) (Italian) ALGERIA COACH, VLADIMIR PETKOVIC, SAYING: “I'm very happy that we have qualified, and now I hope that the injuries won't be too serious. We have three days until the last match, and starting tomorrow, we'll try to focus solely on the next one.” 4. WHITE FLASH 5. (SOUNDBITE) (Italian) ALGERIA COACH, VLADIMIR PETKOVIC, SAYING: “I can say that we are contenders to advance from our group, and I am very happy that we are in first place. Now we are focusing on the next step and, step by step, we will see where we end up.” 6. VARIOUS OF ALGERIA FORWARD IBRAHIM MAZA POSING WITH HIS MAN OF THE MATCH TROPHY 7. (SOUNDBITE) (English) ALGERIA FORWARD, IBRAHIM MAZA, SAYING: “We fight very hard. I think everyone in the team could deserve it (the man of the match award) today, and the most important thing today is that we won the game, because now we are qualified, and this was our main goal, not something like personal awards or something, but yeah. We are very happy right now.” STORY: Riyad Mahrez scored a first half penalty as Algeria sealed their place in the knockout rounds of the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations with a 1-0 victory over Burkina Faso in their Group E clash in Rabat on Sunday (December 28). Algeria have six points and will win the group as they cannot be overhauled by either Burkina Faso (3 points) or Sudan (3) following the third round of fixtures in the pool due to the head-to-head rule. The Burkinabe meet Sudan in their final clash on Wednesday, while Algeria take on bottom side Equatorial Guinea, who are eliminated. Algeria were awarded a penalty just past the 20-minute mark when Rayan Ait Nouri was felled in the box by Ismahila Ouedraogo, and Mahrez made no mistake as he sent Herve Koffi in the Burkina Faso goal the wrong way. Mahrez extended his record as Algeria’s all-time leading scorer at the Cup of Nations with his ninth goal and is also the leading scorer in this edition so far having netted twice in the opening 3-0 win over Sudan. (Production: Stefan Haskins)
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