Peep peep! A much-fancied Algeria side go out of the Africa Cup of Nations at the group stage, without winning a game. They needed to beat Senegal and hope Zimbabwe won against Tunisia. Neither happened, so they are off to catch Flight DO1. Senegal, the group winners, will play Cameroon in the quarter-finals, and Tunisia will meet Burkina Faso. Thanks for your company, goodnight!
86 min “Evening Rob,” says Simon McMahon. “I don’t think the internet has reached Orkney yet. And even if it has, they’ll be too busy fishing and milking cows to notice. Said affectionately by a fellow Scot, of course. You know, just in case.”
81 min The two teams are running out of time if they want to score a winner, or start a brawl. It seems Slimani came off with an injury; his thigh is being strapped as he reclines on the bench.
79 min Algeria should just turn up for the quarter-final against Burkina Faso and then, when questioned, cite alternative facts that show they finished second in the group.
77 min Slimani misses a golden chance for a hat-trick. He was put through by a cracking pass from Hanni and had lots of time to consider his shot as N’Diaye came out. He tried to sidefoot it into the far corner and put it a couple of yards wide.
76 min “Seeing as how the high-flying Sadio Mané is being rested today and doesn’t have to play for his country again until Saturday 28 January,” says Peter Oh, “surely he will be allowed to hop on a plane back to Liverpool for the EFL Cup semi-final 2nd leg against Southampton on Wednesday 25 January before re-joining his Senegal teammates?”
Yes, Fifa are keen to do everything they can to bring the EFL Cup into the 21st century. I think their next plan is to make it a 48,128,256,512-team tournament.
69 min “The timing of this tournament is designed to prevent Liverpool from signing the second Salif Diao or the new El Hadji Diouf,” says Ian Copestake. “So for that I thank it.”
67 min The game is starting to peter out now, though fisticuffs should not be completely ruled out. Slimani follows a backheader to the keeper N’Diaye, who claims it and then goes down laughably after the merest contact with Slimani.
61 min Mahrez has been superb today, with some glorious touches. I wonder where he’ll be playing next season. He is good enough for any team in the world.
59 min “Marcellus would have voted for Obama - and made all his clan follow suit - but not Clinton,” says Charles Antaki. “Butch wouldn’t have voted at all. And we can hazard a fairly good guess at who the guys in the pawn shop would have favoured.”
58 min Sarr rolls over spectacularly and repeatedly after a foul by Cadamuro, who is booked. I think it was the fall rather than the foul that caused Sarr’s pain.-
56 min “Evening Rob,” says David Horn. “Sorry to email in and all, with your Communication Vacuum Record only 40 minutes from completion ... but I’ve diligently used Apple-F (hipster CTRL-F) to search for Sadio Mané, and not found a mention. Assuming & hoping, on behalf of Liverpool (and Senegal!) fans, he’s being rested as Senegal top the group, rather than he’s broken his arm / leg. Right? Right!!”
He’s already scored two goals at each end; the reason you couldn’t find him is that I couldn’t be bothered to put the accent on the E.
(No, you’re right, he’s being rested along with nine others.)
Sow makes a silk purse out of a half-chance to bring Senegal level straight away. A loose ball broke to him 20 yards from goal, and he blasted a low first-time shot across Asselah and into the corner. That’s an excellent goal.
Slimani shanks Algeria into the lead. It was made by the superb Mahrez, who moved into the box on the right and teased a lofted pass to Slimani at the far post. He took it on his chest and then, as it bounced up awkwardly, inadvertently sliced a dismal looping shot beyond the reach of N’Diaye. N’Doye got back to hoof it clear off the bar but the ball had crossed the line.
50 min A chance for Senegal. Ciss fizzes a good pass along the line of the penalty area; Sarr arrives on the other side, opens up his body and sidefoots a few yards wide. It was a pretty unconvincing attempt.
That was a pretty miserable half for Algeria - not so much in this game but because Tunisia are 4-1 ahead against Zimbabwe, and that means Algeria will be on Flight DO1 tonight. See you in 10 minutes for the second half.
Senegal are level. Sarr’s cross is half cleared by the head of Mandi. It comes to Dop, backing up the play just outside the D, and he bobbles a volley through a posse of defenders and past the unsighted Asselah.