Riyad Mahrez’s double helped Algeria to a dominant victory over 10-man Sudan in their 2025 Africa Cup of Nations Group E opener in Rabat.
The North Africans lifted the title in 2019 but have failed to progress past the group stage at the past two editions of the finals.
Former Manchester City winger Mahrez gave his side an ideal start with a trademark left-footed curling strike from 12 yards after being teed up by Hicham Boudaoui’s smart backheel.
Yaser Awad Boshara twice called Algeria goalkeeper Luca Zidane into action but Sudan’s task got harder when Salah Adel was sent off for a second bookable offence six minutes before the break.
Mahrez, 34, doubled the lead just after the hour mark with a composed finish inside the box from Mohamed Amoura’s clever through-ball.
Wolfsburg striker Amoura almost added a third when he rifled a volley against the right-hand upright.
Ibrahim Maza collected Baghdad Bounedjah’s knockdown just outside the six-yard box to make it 3-0 with five minutes left – Algeria’s 100th goal in Afcon.
Sudan keeper Monged Elneel then made two fine saves during added time to deny substitute Adil Boulbina.
Algeria went top of Group E on goal difference ahead of Burkina Faso, who beat Equatorial Guinea 2-1 earlier on Wednesday, and will remain in the Moroccan capital to face the Stallions on Sunday (17:30 GMT).
Sudan travel to Casablanca to take on the Equatoguineans on the same day (15:00 GMT).
Algeria cruise to three points
Algeria sacked Afcon-winning coach Djamel Belmadi after their failure at the 2023 finals in Ivory Coast and instead turned to former Switzerland boss Vladimir Petkovic.
The 62-year-old led them to qualification for the 2026 World Cup, with their attack largely built around the understanding between Mahrez and Amoura.
Petkovic could scarcely have asked for a better start in a Moulay El Hassan Stadium that was packed with fans supporting his side, with the scoreline allowing him the luxury of withdrawing Mahrez with 12 minutes remaining.
Algeria’s every attack was greeted with a roar while keeper Zidane – son of France’s World Cup-winning legend Zinedine – looked composed in goal.
The 27-year-old, who plays for Spanish second-tier team Granada, only made his full international debut in October after switching allegiance from the nation of his birth and made his Afcon bow after Alexis Guendouz damaged knee ligaments earlier this month.
Sudan’s qualification for the finals was an impressive feat itself, having been forced to play all their games outside of the country since civil war broke out in the capital Khartoum in April 2023.
Yet the task of overcoming a side ranked 83 places above them in the world proved too much of a stretch after Mahrez’s breakthrough and the red card.
Coach James Kwesi Appiah, though, may well have complaints over Adel’s first yellow card, which was awarded for a seemingly innocuous challenge on Ramy Bensebaini.
But Algeria had too much quality.
