Bouaké, 15th January 2024: Angola’s Cristovao Paciencia emerged as a key figure in securing a vital 1-1 draw for his team against former champions Algeria in their opening match of Group C at the TotalEnergies CAF Africa Cup of Nations Côte d’Ivoire 2023. The match, held at Stade De La Paix in Bouaké, showcased a high-stakes battle between the two sides.
The 2019 champions, Algeria, entered the match as favorites and immediately demonstrated their dominance. Fares Chaibi almost opened the scoring for Algeria in the 6th minute, followed by Youcef Belaili’s close attempt in the 8th minute. Algeria’s relentless pressure paid off when Baghdad Bounedjah, the hero of their 2019 title run, scored the opening goal, continuing his tradition of scoring in their first match of the tournament, as he did in 2019 against Kenya.
However, Angola showed resilience in the second half, adapting their tactics to focus on attacking. This approach yielded results in the 68th minute when substitute Cristovao Paciencia was fouled by Nabil Bentaleb in the box, leading to a penalty. Paciencia stepped up and converted the spot-kick, drawing the game level and earning a crucial point for Angola.
The match ended in a 1-1 stalemate, a result that reflects the competitive spirit and unpredictability of the Africa Cup of Nations. Next, Algeria will face Burkina Faso, while Angola will take on Mauritania in their upcoming fixtures, as the group stage continues to unfold with excitement and high-quality football.
