MATCH FACTS: Algeria seek draw against Niger to advance to quarter-finals

Algeria need just a draw against already eliminated Niger to confirm their place in the quarter-finals of the TotalEnergies CAF African Nations Championship (CHAN) PAMOJA 2024 when the two sides meet on Monday.

This will be the second CHAN meeting between the nations, but their first in the group stage. Their only previous clash came in the 2022 semi-finals on Algerian soil, when the hosts ran out 5-0 winners. Ayoub Abdellaoui opened the scoring in the 15th minute, Aymen Mahious added a quick double, Niger conceded an own goal on the stroke of halftime, and Sofiane Bayazid sealed the rout in the second half.

That 5-0 victory remains Algeria’s biggest win at CHAN and also equals Niger’s heaviest defeat in the competition.

Algeria have enjoyed a strong record against West African opponents, never losing in open play across four matches (W2 D2). They have scored seven goals and conceded only once, in a 1-1 draw with Guinea at this edition. Three of those four matches ended with clean sheets.

Niger, by contrast, have struggled against North African opposition. They are winless in three such encounters, losing 5-0 to Tunisia in 2016 and 5-0 to Algeria in 2022, while earning a goalless draw with Libya in 2020. They have never scored in a CHAN match against a North African team, conceding a total of 10 goals.

Niger – Key Facts

• Already eliminated at the group stage for the third time, after 2016 and 2020. Reached the quarter-finals in 2011 and the semi-finals in 2022.
• Currently on a five-game winless run (D1 L4).
• Failed to score in their last five matches; last goal was in a 2-0 win over Ghana in the 2022 quarter-finals.
• Scored in just one of their last five group games, a 1-0 win over Cameroon in 2022.
• Now 500 minutes without a CHAN goal.
• First time they have gone three consecutive games at the same edition without scoring.
• Goalkeeper Mahamadou Tanja made five saves against South Africa to earn their first clean sheet of this tournament.
• Have never finished an entire CHAN edition without scoring at least once.

Algeria – Key Facts

• Reaching the last eight would mark their third knockout appearance (4th in 2011, runners-up in 2022).
• Drew their last game 1-1 with Guinea, conceding first for the first time since 2011.
• Had scored first in each of their six previous matches that produced goals.
• Now nine games unbeaten in open play (W6 D3), last loss was in 2011 against Sudan.
• Drawn their last two games, first time they have failed to win successive matches since 2011.
• Had not conceded in seven straight matches before letting in two across their last two.
• Never previously conceded in three successive games at one CHAN edition.
• Two goals conceded at this tournament; their highest tally in a finals is four (2011).
• Have never gone three games without a win at CHAN.
• Five goals scored so far, three in the second half; Sofiane Bayazid’s equaliser vs Guinea came in the 88th minute.
• Have never won a CHAN match after conceding first (D3 L1).
• Scored in their last nine games, last failed to score in the 2022 final vs Senegal (0-0, lost on penalties).
• In 15 CHAN games, their only defeat in open play remains the 1-0 loss to Sudan in 2011.
• Have failed to score in just three of their 15 matches, all in knockout or group play in 2011 and the 2022 final.
• Have scored in 8 of 9 group games, only blanking in a 0-0 draw with Sudan in 2011.
• Undefeated in nine group matches overall (W5 D4).
• Managed nine shots on target against Guinea, their most in this edition.
• Reda Halaimia attempted 69 passes against Guinea, the highest by any Algerian player so far.
• Have scored in three straight matches; only once before have they scored in four in a row (first five games in 2022).