MATCH STATS: Algeria vs Burkina Faso – TotalEnergies CAF Africa Cup of Nations Morocco 2025 Group E

Algeria and Burkina Faso both made winning starts in Group E and will be targeting a second victory that would secure qualification for the Round of 16 when they meet in their second group match at the Moulay Hassan Stadium on 28 December. Kick-off is at 16h00 local time (15h00 GMT).

This will be the fourth meeting between the two nations at the Africa Cup of Nations finals. They previously met in 1996, 1998 and at the last edition in 2023.

All of their AFCON encounters have taken place in the group stage, and this is the second time they face each other at successive AFCON tournaments, after meetings in 1996 and 1998.

Across their three previous AFCON meetings, each side has recorded one win, with one match ending in a draw. Both teams have scored in all three of those encounters.

Their first AFCON meeting came in Group B on 24 January 1996, when Algeria won 2-1 in their final group match. Khaled Lounici scored in the 2nd minute and Billel Dziri added a second in the 75th, while Boureima Zongo pulled one back for Burkina Faso late on.

At the 1998 finals, both teams had lost their opening matches when they met in Group A. Hosts Burkina Faso claimed a 2-1 win, with Kassoum Ouédraogo converting a 75th-minute penalty and Seydou Traoré scoring two minutes later. Moussa Saïb scored from the spot for Algeria in the 82nd minute.

Their most recent AFCON meeting came at the 2023 edition, where their Group D clash ended in a 2-2 draw. Burkina Faso led twice through Mohamed Konaté and a Bertrand Traoré penalty, before Baghdad Bounedjah scored both of Algeria’s goals, including an equaliser deep into second-half stoppage time.

Overall, this will be the 20th meeting between the sides. Algeria and Burkina Faso have each won six of the previous 19 matches, with seven draws.

The last three meetings between the teams have ended in draws, including two fixtures in 2026 FIFA World Cup qualifying and their 2023 AFCON group-stage encounter. The last match to produce a winner was in November 2013, when Algeria won 1-0 at home in World Cup qualifying to progress on away goals.

Algeria have scored in each of their last seven matches against Burkina Faso, while Burkina Faso have found the net in their last three meetings with Algeria.

 

PAST MEETINGS

OVERALL
Algeria: P19 W6 D7 L6 GF24 GA19 GD+5
Burkina Faso: P19 W6 D7 L6 GF19 GA24 GD-5

AFCON ONLY
Algeria: P3 W1 D1 L1 GF5 GA5 GD0
Burkina Faso: P3 W1 D1 L1 GF5 GA5 GD0

 

PAST AFCON MEETINGS

1996, Group B, 24 January
Algeria 2 (Lounici 2’, Dziri 75’) Burkina Faso 1 (Zongo 83’)

1998, Group A, 11 February
Burkina Faso 2 (Ouédraogo 75’ pen, Traoré 77’) Algeria 1 (Saïb 82’ pen)

2023, Group D, 20 January
Algeria 2 (Bounedjah 51’, 90+5’) Burkina Faso 2 (Konaté 45+3’, Traoré 71’ pen)

 

Algeria – Key Statistics

·       Opened with a 3-0 win over Sudan.

·       Won their opening AFCON match for the first time since 2019, after draws in 2021 and 2023.

·       Ended a six-game winless run at AFCON, their previous victory coming in the 2019 final.

·       Had gone six group-stage matches without a win prior to defeating Sudan.

·       Have started an AFCON with successive wins on four previous occasions: 1982, 1984, 1990 and 2019.

·       Have won their second group game 10 times at AFCON, but only once in their last six appearances.

·       Have lost their second group game only once after winning the opener, in 2015.

·       Riyad Mahrez scored twice against Sudan to take his AFCON tally to eight goals.

·       Mahrez is now Algeria’s all-time leading scorer at AFCON.

·       The Sudan match was his fourth AFCON tournament in which he has scored.

·       It was the second time Mahrez has scored a brace in an AFCON match.

·       He is the only Algerian player to score two goals in multiple AFCON games.

·       Ibrahim Maza’s goal against Sudan was Algeria’s 100th at AFCON.

·       Baghdad Bounedjah now has seven AFCON goal involvements (five goals, two assists).

·       Ramy Bensebaïni led all players for touches, passes attempted and passes completed against Sudan.

 

Burkina Faso – Key Statistics

·       Began with a 2-1 win over Equatorial Guinea after conceding first.

·       It was the first time at AFCON they had come from behind to win a group-stage match.

·       Named their oldest starting XI at AFCON in the last seven editions.

·       Have won their last two opening AFCON matches after failing to win their first 12 openers.

·       Have never previously started an AFCON with successive wins.

·       Their last two AFCON opening-match winners have come after the 90th minute.

·       Recorded 67% possession against Equatorial Guinea, their highest at AFCON since at least 2010.

·       Scored twice beyond the 90th minute in the same AFCON match for the first time.

·       Three of their last six AFCON goals have been scored by substitutes.

·       Georgi Minoungou scored his first international goal in his fifth appearance.

·       Edmond Tapsoba scored his first AFCON goal in his 11th appearance.

·       Tapsoba led all players for touches and passes completed.

·       Faced only one shot on target, which resulted in a goal conceded.

·       Dango Ouattara completed all five of his dribble attempts.

·       Blati Touré won possession more times than any other player in the match.