Riyad Mahrez leads Algeria to victory over Sudan in the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations
In a strong and ideal start to the journey to restore continental glory, Al-Ahli Saudi star Riyad Mahrez led his country's national team, Algeria, to a resounding and well-deserved victory over their Sudanese counterparts by three goals to nil, in the match that brought them together today (Wednesday) as part of the first round of the group stage of the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations hosted by the Kingdom of Morocco.
The match witnessed a remarkable performance from the captain of the "Desert Warriors," Riyad Mahrez, who opened the scoring very early, specifically in the second minute, before adding a second goal in the 61st minute, confirming Algeria's dominance over the course of the match. Five minutes before the end of regulation time, rising star Ibrahim Maza completed Algeria's hat-trick, sending a strong message to the other competitors in the group.
Mahrez makes history with exceptional numbers
The victory wasn't just three points for Algeria; it was a truly historic night for Riyad Mahrez. According to Opta, the global football statistics network, Mahrez's first goal came just 80 seconds after kickoff, making it the fastest goal scored by the Algerian national team in their 21st-century Africa Cup of Nations campaigns.
The numbers didn't stop there, as this goal is the fastest in the current edition of the tournament (Morocco 2025) so far, and it also ranked second in the list of the fastest goals in the history of the continental tournament as a whole, equal to the goal of the late Ghanaian star Christian Atsu.
On a national level, Mahrez has become Algeria's all-time leading scorer in the Africa Cup of Nations with 8 goals, surpassing the legendary Lakhdar Belloumi, who now sits in second place with 6 goals. Mahrez also solidified his position as the second-highest scorer in the national team's history with 36 goals, narrowing the gap with leader Islam Slimani (46 goals).
The spirit returns to the desert warriors
This victory holds immense strategic and moral significance for the Algerian national team, which seeks to erase the lackluster image it presented in the previous two editions (Cameroon 2021 and Ivory Coast 2023), where it was surprisingly eliminated in the first round despite being the defending champion of the 2019 edition in Egypt. This resounding victory in the "Arab derby" marks the beginning of a new era in which the Greens aspire to return to the continental podium.
Mahrez’s performance also reflects an amazing consistency at the high level, as he became the first Algerian player to score in four different editions of the CAN, and the most goal-scoring contributor in the last eight editions with 10 contributions, confirming his decisive leadership role in the coach’s lineup, and his ability to make a difference in big matches, especially since the tournament is being held in familiar North African atmospheres.
