Algeria reached the quarter-finals for the first time without conceding a single goal.
One year later, they are attempting to repeat the achievement in the same way.
Algeria enter the final round of Group A having conceded only once in their last six Women’s Africa Cup of Nations finals matches. Victory over Kenya will take them through for a second successive edition regardless of what happens between Senegal and Morocco.
Kenya have never earned a point at the tournament but can still reach the quarter-finals. They need to defeat Algeria by at least two goals and hope Morocco beat Senegal.
Morocco needed 84 minutes to score
Algeria completed the previous Women’s Africa Cup of Nations with four clean sheets.
They defeated Botswana 1-0 and drew 0-0 with Tunisia and Nigeria during the group stage. Ghana also failed to score against them in the quarter-finals, even in extra time, before eliminating Algeria in a penalty shootout.
The sequence continued in their opening match of this edition. Chloé N’Gazi kept a fifth successive clean sheet as Algeria defeated Senegal 2-0 through goals from Marine Dafeur and Mélissa Bethi.
Sanaâ Mssoudy finally ended the run in the 84th minute. Algeria had not conceded at the Women’s Africa Cup of Nations since November 2018, when Mali won 3-2 in Cape Coast with a penalty in stoppage time. Seven years and eight months.
Algeria have scored three goals and conceded one across their last six matches at the finals. Their defence has allowed them to compensate for limited attacking production: in the previous edition they scored once in three group matches and still finished second.
Their opening two results in this edition leave Algeria with three points, two goals scored and one conceded.
Victory guarantees qualification. A draw will also be sufficient unless Senegal defeat Morocco.
Even a one-goal defeat could take Algeria through if Morocco beat Senegal. That combination would leave Algeria, Senegal and Kenya level on three points, with the results between the three teams favouring Algeria.
Kenya came within centimetres of their first point
Kenya need to win by at least two goals and hope for a Moroccan victory. Under that scenario, they would finish above Algeria and Senegal in the three-team tie-breaker.
The Kenyans sit bottom after losing 4-0 to Morocco and 1-0 to Senegal. They were also defeated in all three of their matches in 2016, their only previous appearance.
Their fifth defeat, however, came close to becoming their first draw.
Marion Serenge fired wide with the goal at her mercy in the 62nd minute. Then, past the hour, Kenya struck the woodwork three times: Euphrasier Shilwatso found the crossbar, Tereza Engesha turned the rebound onto the post and hit the woodwork again ten minutes later. Adji Ndiaye prevented an equaliser from the follow-up.
Kenya are still waiting for their first WAFCON point. A one-goal victory would not be enough to send them through: only a win by two or more goals, combined with a Moroccan victory over Senegal, would take them into the quarter-finals.
When and where is Kenya vs Algeria?
Kenya face Algeria at Rabat Olympic Stadium on Monday, 3 August.
The match kicks off at 21:00 in Morocco and 22:00 in Spain, at the same time as Senegal vs Morocco.
Kenya vs Algeria
Monday, 3 August · 21:00 in Morocco
Rabat Olympic Stadium (Moulay Abdellah Sports Complex)
