By

Eniola Olatunji 

 

The Desert Warriors of Algeria sealed a dramatic place in the quarterfinals of the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations on Tuesday night in Rabat, sending World Cup-bound Democratic Republic of Congo crashing out after a heart-breaking late goal deep into extra time.

 

With barely sixty seconds left on the clock, 22-year-old substitute Adil Boulbina emerged as the unlikely hero, curling home a sensational winner at the 119th minute to hand Algeria a 1–0 victory and spark wild celebrations among the North Africans.

 

Boulbina, who plies his trade with Qatari side Al Duhail, had only been introduced in the 113th minute, replacing midfielder Fares Chaibi. The teenager justified his coach’s faith almost instantly, latching onto a perfectly weighted, looping pass from Ramiz Zerrouki before bending his effort beyond the reach of every Congolese defender and goalkeeper alike.

 

Despite playing just six minutes, Boulbina was named Player of the Match, a decision that underlined the magnitude of his impact. He was immediately mobbed by teammates from both the pitch and the bench in scenes of unrestrained joy, as Algeria celebrated a victory snatched from the jaws of a tense, evenly contested encounter.

 

Statistically, Algeria’s triumph was deserved. The Desert Warriors registered 13 shots to DR Congo’s six, with seven on target compared to the Leopards’ two, while enjoying a slight edge in possession at 52 percent. The match was fiercely contested, producing 41 fouls in total (24 by Congo, 17 by Algeria). DR Congo failed to capitalize on their six corner kicks, compared to Algeria’s four, while the yellow card count stood at 3–2 in Algeria’s favor.

 

The defeat marked a painful exit for the Leopards, who, like South Africa, are already qualified for the 2026 FIFA World Cup. Coincidentally, both World Cup-bound nations—who finished above Nigeria in their qualifying group—have now been eliminated from the AFCON.

 

Algeria will now turn their attention to a mouthwatering quarterfinal showdown against Nigeria on Saturday, January 10, at 5:00 p.m. in Marrakesh, a fixture that rekindles memories of Algeria’s victory over the Super Eagles at the 2019 AFCON.

 

The Desert Warriors advanced to the knockout stage in commanding fashion, winning all three group matches: a 3–0 rout of Sudan, a narrow 1–0 win over Burkina Faso, and a 3–1 victory against Equatorial Guinea, keeping two clean sheets in the process. DR Congo, by contrast, recorded two wins and a draw—beating Benin 1–0, drawing 1–1 with Senegal, and closing their group campaign with a 3–0 win over Botswana.

 

Historically, the two sides have met four times, with Algeria claiming two victories, DR Congo one, and one match ending in a draw. Algeria have scored seven of the nine total goals in those encounters, including a 3–0 international friendly win on August 9, 2023. DR Congo’s only victory came on March 6, 2008, via a solitary goal.

 

Ranked 34th in the world, Algeria are two-time African champions, having lifted the trophy in 1990 and 2019. They also finished runners-up in 1980 in Lagos, claimed bronze medals in 1984 and 1988, and placed fourth on two occasions. DR Congo, formerly known as Congo Kinshasa, won their AFCON titles in 1968 and 1974, added bronze medals in 1998 and 2015, and finished fourth at the last edition of the tournament.

 

With six teams already confirmed for the quarterfinals, the fixtures are as follows:

• Mali vs Senegal – Friday, January 9, 5:00 p.m.

• Cameroon vs Morocco – Friday, January 9, 8:00 p.m.

• Nigeria vs Algeria – Saturday, January 10, 5:00 p.m.

• Egypt vs Winner of Côte d’Ivoire/Burkina Faso – Saturday, January 10, 8:00 p.m.