| Stadium: | Cidadela | ||
| Attendance: | 4,000 | ||
| Match Time: | January 14, 2010, 16:00 UK | ||
| Official(s): | Muhmed Ssegonga (Referee) | ||
| Mali | Algeria | ||
| Rafik Halliche (43) | |||
Algeria kicked off the second round of matches in Group A of the African Cup of Nations with a 1-0 victory over Mali.
Algeria, who are in Englands World Cup Group surprisingly capitulated to unfancied Malawi in their first game, and needed a victory to give them any chance of going through to the knock out stages, and a Rafik Halliche header gave them the goal that the needed to get the 3 points.
Mali were a shadow of the team that they showed they could be when they scored 4 goals in the last 11 minutes versus Angola in the opening game of the tournament, preferring instead to show us a lacklustre performance that typified most of that opening game.
Malis most dangerous player, Mustapha Yatabare came close early on when he shot into the side netting not long after Karim Ziani had hit the cross bar with a cross for Algeria. However with both teams unable to control the midfield possession, chances for both teams were few and far between.
In the 43rd minute Bakary Soumare was booked for a bad challenge on Bezzaz. Ziani curled in the freekick which managed to elude three Mali players and allowed Algerian defender to steal in and head the ball into the net.
In the second half Freddie Kanoute, bought on at half time (is he *really* not good enough to start?) bustled about trying to force an equaliser, but Algeria hung on to grab the points.
Group A
| Team | Pld | W | D | L | GF | GA | GD | Pts |
| Angola | 2 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 6 | 4 | +2 | 4 |
| Malawi | 2 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 3 | 2 | +1 | 3 |
| Algeria | 2 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 3 | –2 | 3 |
| Mali | 2 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 4 | 5 | –1 | 1 |