Ibrahim Maza delivered a decisive performance in Algeria's opening 2027 Africa Cup of Nations qualifier. The young star scored one goal and provided an assist to lead the Desert Foxes to an important 3-1 victory over Zambia at the Mustapha Tchaker Stadium in Tizi-Ouzou.

Algeria opened the scoring very early in the 2nd minute, with Jaouen Hadjam converting a cross from Mohamed Amoura. Zambia fought back into the match in the 57th minute through a powerful Fashion Sakala strike. The Algerian response didn't take long, as just ten minutes later, Ibrahim Maza restored the lead with a precise finish.

Maza Creates the Third

With the match winding down, Maza secured the three points by creating the third goal in the 75th minute. The Bayer Leverkusen player received the ball on the right flank before delivering a pinpoint pass into the box for substitute Anis Hadj Moussa, who made no mistake from close range.

Ibrahim Maza said after the match: "For Maza, the international break has begun with a performance that will be remembered for the moments that mattered most: a goal, an assist, and a significant contribution to Algeria's first three points."

This win boosts the team's confidence under new head coach Brahim Hemdani and places Algeria top of Group I alongside Togo after the first round.

Focus now shifts to the next match away to Burundi on Tuesday, in the second round of AFCON qualifying. This fixture is preceded by Algeria hosting Niger in a World Cup qualifier on October 6th, a match detailed in our fixtures. The team ended its recent run of matches with mixed results (loss, draw, win, loss, win), making this victory a key morale boost.

This story first appeared at roundtable.io

The Algerian national team announced on Friday the exclusion of Anis Hadj Moussa and Adam Zerkan from the friendly match against Niger scheduled for October 6. An official statement from the team said that technical director Brahim Hamdani approved the exclusion. Hadj Moussa is suffering from the injury he sustained during the match against Zambia, while Zerkan was injured in the match against Burundi.

Update, 2026-10-03 Algeria's U20 national team lost 3-1 to their Moroccan counterpart today in the North African Football Union qualifiers for the U20 Africa Cup of Nations. The Moroccan national team's official account confirmed the result after the final whistle. Sami Bouhoudane scored Morocco's opening goal in the 53rd minute.

The Algerian Football Federation announced on Tuesday that the national team will play its next match against Niger on October 6 in World Cup qualifying. The federation stated in an official release that the match will be held at the Mustapha Tchaker Stadium in Tizi Ouzou.