By Dorcas Francis Koji
Algeria opened their 2026 Women’s Africa Cup of Nations (WAFCON) campaign in impressive fashion, defeating Senegal 2-0 in their Group A opener on Sunday evening in Rabat, Morocco.
Goals from Nguenar Ndiaye and Mélissa Bethi ensured the North Africans claimed all three points, delivering a disciplined and composed performance to boost their hopes of reaching the knockout stage.
Algeria showed greater efficiency in front of goal despite Senegal enjoying slightly more possession throughout the contest. The North Africans consistently threatened in attack, forcing several crucial saves while limiting Senegal’s opportunities in the final third.
The deadlock was broken in the 13th minute when Algeria were awarded a penalty following a foul inside the area. Captain Nguenar Ndiaye stepped up confidently and converted from the spot to hand her side an early advantage.
Buoyed by the breakthrough, Algeria continued to grow into the match, maintaining their defensive organisation while looking dangerous on the counterattack. Senegal attempted to respond before halftime but struggled to break down a well-drilled Algerian backline.
After the restart, Algeria returned with renewed confidence, controlling key moments of the game and creating more attacking opportunities.
The introduction of fresh legs midway through the second half injected additional energy into Algeria’s attack, while Senegal also made several substitutions in an effort to find an equaliser.
Algeria eventually sealed the victory in the 85th minute when Mélissa Bethi calmly finished from close range after being brilliantly set up by Lina Boussaha, doubling her side’s lead and putting the result beyond doubt.
Senegal pushed forward during the closing stages in search of a lifeline, but Algeria remained compact defensively and comfortably saw out the match to record a deserved clean-sheet victory.
The win gives Algeria an excellent start to their WAFCON 2026 campaign ahead of a crucial Group A clash against tournament hosts Morocco on Thursday.
Senegal, meanwhile, will be aiming to bounce back when they face Kenya in their second group match as they seek to revive their hopes of qualifying for the quarter-finals.
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