Cairo – Baghdad Bounedjah‘s early goal propelled Algeria to a first Africa Cup of Nations title in 29 years after a fiery 1-0 victory over Sadio Mane‘s Senegal in Friday‘s final in Cairo.
Bounedjah gave Algeria a dream start in the second minute when his deflected shot looped over Senegal goalkeeper Alfred Gomis, and it proved enough for the 1990 champions to lift the trophy on foreign soil for the first time.
For Senegal, who lost to Algeria by the same scoreline in the group stage, the long wait for a first continental crown goes on as coach Aliou Cisse, the captain of the 2002 runners-up, again fell short in the final.
It was the first title-decider to feature two African coaches since 1998, with Algeria boss Djamel Belmadi completing a whirlwind 12 months at the helm after inheriting a side that failed to make it out of the group stage two years ago.
With defensive rock Kalidou Koulibaly suspended for Senegal, Salif Sane deputised at the back and Ismaila Sarr was recalled in attack, while Belmadi kept faith in the same side that overcame Nigeria with an injury-time free-kick from Riyad Mahrez.
Senegal had understandably feared the absence of Napoli star Koulibaly, banned after two bookings in the knockout rounds, although the towering Sane was desperately unlucky as Algeria grabbed the lead with scarcely a minute played.
As Bounedjah took aim from 20 yards his effort smacked off Sane and arced high into the air before dropping underneath the crossbar and beyond a static Gomis, sparking delirious celebrations from both players and fans, some of whom arrived for the final on military planes provided by the Algerian government.
It was the first time Gomis had conceded in almost 400 minutes in Egypt having replaced the injured Edouard Mendy ahead of Senegal‘s final group game.
Henri Saivet, who missed a penalty in the 1-0 victory over Tunisia, tried to catch Rais Mbohli out with a free-kick while Mbaye Niang fizzed a powerful drive just over as Senegal gradually showed signs of life before the half ended with both sets of players embroiled in a scuffle as they headed for the tunnel.
Senegal thought they had won a penalty on the hour when Cameroonian referee Alioum Alioum pointed to the spot for a suspected handball by Adlene Guedioura, but the official reversed his decision after a VAR review.
Niang rounded an advancing Mbohli after a searching ball through from Cheikhou Kouyate but the forward sliced wide of the target from a tough angle, with the Algeria ‘keeper then acrobatically tipping over a rasping drive from Youssouf Sabaly.
The Desert Foxes started to look jaded as Senegal brought on fresh legs in Krepin Diatta and Mbaye Diagne, but Youcef Belaili nearly made it 2-0 when his cross brushed the head of a defender and skimmed the roof of the net.
Sarr blazed over on the volley as Algeria clung on to their advantage in the closing minutes, the final whistle greeted by an outpouring of raw emotion as the North Africans emerged worthy winners of the expanded 24-team event.
Leading goalscorers in 2019 Africa Cup of Nations after Algeria won the final in Cairo on Friday:
5 – Ighalo (NGR)
3 – Mahrez, Ounas (both ALG), Bakambu (COD), Mane (SEN)
2 – Belaili, Bounedjah (both ALG), Elmohamady, Salah (both EGY), Kodjia, Zaha (both CIV), Andriamahitsinoro (MAD), J. Ayew (GHA), Bahoken (CMR), En-Nesyri (MAR), Msakni (TUN), Okwi (UGA), Olunga (KEN), Pote (BEN), Yattara (GUI), Zungu (RSA)
Complete list of coaches who have won the Africa Cup of Nations:
1957 Egypt – Mourad Fahmy
1959 Egypt – Pal Titkos (HUN)
1962 Ethiopia – Ydnekatchew Tessema
1963 Ghana – Charles Gyamfi
1965 Ghana – Charles Gyamfi
1968 Zaire – Ferenc Csanadi (HUN)
1970 Sudan – Jirí Starosta (CZE)
1972 Congo – Adolphe Bibanzoulou
1974 Zaire – Blagoje Vidinic (SRB)
1976 Morocco – Gheorghe Mardarescu (ROM)
1978 Ghana – Fred Osam-Duodu
1980 Nigeria – Otto Gloria (BRA)
1982 Ghana – Charles Gyamfi
1984 Cameroon – Radivoje Ognjanovic (SRB)
1986 Egypt – Mike Smith (WAL)
1988 Cameroon – Claude le Roy (FRA)
1990 Algeria – Abdelhamid Kermali
1992 Ivory Coast – Yeo Martial
1994 Nigeria – Clemens Westerhof (NED)
1996 South Africa – Clive Barker
1998 Egypt – Mahmoud el-Gohary
2000 Cameroon – Pierre Lechantre (FRA)
2002 Cameroon – Winfried Schaefer (GER)
2004 Tunisia – Roger Lemerre (FRA)
2006 Egypt – Hassan Shehata
2008 Egypt – Hassan Shehata
2010 Egypt – Hassan Shehata
2012 Zambia – Herve Renard (FRA)
2013 Nigeria – Stephen Keshi
2015 Ivory Coast – Herve Renard (FRA)
2017 Cameroon- Hugo Broos (BEL)
2019 Algeria – Djamel Belmadi
Complete list of Africa Cup of Nations finals results:
1957 Khartoum – Egypt 4 Ethiopia 0
1962 Addis Ababa – Ethiopia 4 Egypt 2
1963 Accra – Ghana 3 Sudan 0
1965 Tunis – Ghana 3 Tunisia 2
1968 Addis Ababa – Zaire 1 Ghana 0
1970 Khartoum – Sudan 1 Ghana 0
1972 Yaounde – Congo Brazzaville 3 Mali 2
1974 Cairo – Zaire 2 Zambia 0 (replay, after 2-2 draw)
1978 Accra – Ghana 2 Uganda 0
1980 Lagos – Nigeria 3 Algeria 0
1982 Tripoli – Ghana 1 Libya 1 (7-6 penalties)
1984 Abidjan – Cameroon 3 Nigeria 1
1986 Cairo – Egypt 0 Cameroon 0 (5-4 penalties)
1988 Casablanca – Cameroon 1 Nigeria 0
1990 Algiers – Algeria 1 Nigeria 0
1992 Dakar – Ivory Coast 0 Ghana 0 (11-10 penalties)
1994 Tunis – Nigeria 2 Zambia 1
1996 Soweto – South Africa 2 Tunisia 0
1998 Ouagadougou – Egypt 2 South Africa 0
2000 Lagos – Cameroon 2 Nigeria 2 (4-3 penalties)
2002 Bamako – Cameroon 0 Senegal 0 (3-2 penalties)
2004 Rades – Tunisia 2 Morocco 1
2006 Cairo – Egypt 0 Ivory Coast 0 (4-2 penalties)
2008 Accra – Egypt 1 Cameroon 0
2010 Luanda – Egypt 1 Ghana 0
2012 Libreville – Zambia 0 Ivory Coast 0 (8-7 penalties)
2013 Soweto – Nigeria 1 Burkina Faso 0
2015 Bata – Ivory Coast 0 Ghana 0 (9-8 penalties)
2017 Libreville – Cameroon 2 Egypt 1
2019 Cairo – Algeria 1 Senegal 0
Notes:
– 1959 and 1976 tournaments decided by mini-leagues
– Zaire later renamed the Democratic Republic of Congo
Factfile of 2019 Africa Cup of Nations champions Algeria:
Squad
Goalkeepers: Izzeddine Doukha (Al Raed/KSA), Rais Mbolhi (Al Ettifaq/KSA), Alexandre Oukidja (Metz/FRA)
Defenders: Ramy Bensebaini, Mehdi Zeffane (both Rennes/FRA), Youcef Atal (Nice/FRA), Djamel Benlamri (Al Shabab/KSA), Mohamed Fares (SPAL/ITA), Rafik Halliche (Moreirense/POR), Aissa Mandi (Real Betis/ESP), Mehdi Tahrat (Lens/FRA)
Midfielders: Mehdi Abeid (Dijon/FRA), Ismael Bennacer (Empoli/ITA), Hicham Boudaoui (Paradou), Yacine Brahimi (Porto/POR), Sofiane Feghouli (Galatasaray/TUR), Adlene Guedioura (Nottingham Forest/ENG), Riyad Mahrez (Manchester City/ENG), Adam Ounas (Napoli/ITA)
Forwards: Youcef Belaili (Esperance/TUN), Baghdad Bounedjah (Al Sadd/QAT), Andy Delort (Montpellier/FRA), Islam Slimani (Fenerbahce/TUR)
Captain: Riyad Mahrez
Coach: Djamel Belmadi (ALG)
Africa/world rankings: 12/68
Previous appearances: 17
Best placings: champions (1990, 2019)
Path to glory: Group C – Kenya 2-0, Senegal 1-0, Tanzania 3-0; second round – Guinea 3-0; quarter-final – Ivory Coast 1-1 (4-3 penalties); semi-final – Nigeria 2-1; final – Senegal 1-0
Scorers: 3 – Mahrez, Ounas; 2 – Belaili, Bounedjah; 1 – Feghouli, Slimani, Troost-Ekong (NGR) og