Algeria will aim to secure a second successive Women’s Africa Cup of Nations quarter-final appearance when they face Kenya on Monday, with the Harambee Starlets needing a victory to keep their tournament hopes alive.
The Group A match will be played at Stade olympique de Rabat, with kick-off at 21:00 local time on Monday, 3 August. The fixture will begin at the same time as the group’s other game between Senegal and Morocco.
In France, the match will be shown live on beIN Sports 4. Coverage of the competition is also available on beIN Sports in the MENA region, on Canal+ in sub-Saharan Africa and on KBC in Kenya, with availability subject to territory and local broadcast schedules.
Algeria go into the final group match with three points and know a win would guarantee their place in the last eight. A draw could also be enough for Farid Benstiti’s side, although that would depend on Senegal failing to beat Morocco in the other match.
The Vertes made an excellent start to the tournament by defeating Senegal 2-0. They then suffered a narrow 1-0 loss to hosts Morocco, conceding in the closing stages after holding out for more than 80 minutes.
Sanaa Mssoudy scored the decisive goal, ending Algeria’s run of five consecutive matches without conceding at the Women’s Africa Cup of Nations. The strike also brought an end to nearly 600 minutes of invincibility for goalkeeper Chloe N’Gazi.
Algeria will nevertheless need to be more clinical in front of goal. They have scored in only one of their past five matches in the competition, a record that leaves the door open for Kenya despite the teams’ contrasting positions in the group.
Kenya are taking part in the Women’s Africa Cup of Nations for the first time in 10 years, having made their only previous appearance a decade ago. Their return began with a heavy 4-0 defeat by Morocco, followed by a 1-0 loss against Senegal.
Their second outing offered more encouragement. The Harambee Starlets registered 22 shots and created several chances, but were unable to turn periods of dominance into goals.
To qualify for the knockout stage, Kenya must beat Algeria, ideally by a significant margin, and hope Senegal lose to Morocco. It is a difficult set of results to achieve, but the Kenyans remain capable of dramatically changing the outcome of Group A.
For Algeria, the equation is considerably simpler. Victory would confirm their progress, while a draw could be sufficient if Morocco avoid defeat against Senegal. The match in Rabat therefore carries major significance for both teams: Algeria are in control of their own qualification hopes, while Kenya must rely on a decisive result and assistance elsewhere.