Mahrez penalty takes Algeria through to Cup of Nations last 16

Algeria clinched their advancement to the knockout rounds of the Africa Cup of Nations following a penalty scored by Riyad Mahrez that delivered a 1-0 triumph over Burkina Faso on Sunday.

The team captain slotted the spot-kick home during the middle of the opening period at the Moulay El Hassan Stadium in Rabat, and then Algeria defended stoutly to secure the win in a hard-fought clash against a resilient Burkina Faso side.

Winners of the African title in 1990 and 2019, Algeria now boast the full six points from their two Group E matches and remain without conceding, as Vladimir Petkovic's squad fulfils expectations as a leading contender before the event began.

Burkina Faso and Sudan follow with three points apiece, yet they face off in the concluding group fixture on Wednesday, ensuring Algeria's top-two position regardless of their last match against winless Equatorial Guinea.

"We anticipated a challenging encounter. We battled fiercely, and the key achievement was securing the victory. Qualification is now assured, which was our primary objective," remarked Algeria's Bayer Leverkusen forward Ibrahim Maza, named player of the match.

"We recognised their toughness in advance, but we resolved to resist it by getting physical, making robust challenges, and we executed that effectively today," he further noted regarding the intense physicality of the game.

In their previous Africa Cup of Nations meeting in Ivory Coast, Algeria rallied from a two-goal deficit to end in a 2-2 draw with the Stallions, a outcome that led to their early exit from the group.

On this occasion, they gathered all three points, with the decisive penalty granted after Manchester City's Rayan Ait-Nouri tumbled in the penalty area following a challenge.

Mahrez dispatched the 23rd-minute effort flawlessly, building on his two goals in the initial 3-0 success against Sudan to reach three strikes in this tournament.

The ex-Leicester City and Manchester City winger, in his sixth appearance at the Africa Cup of Nations, has now netted nine times overall, setting an Algerian benchmark.

The match unfolded in an electric setting within a full house of 18,522 supporters, predominantly Algerian fans.

Iconic French figure Zinedine Zidane was in attendance to see his son Luca feature as goalkeeper for the Desert Foxes, having also been present for the Sudan victory.

Burkina Faso's Hearts forward Pierre Landry Kabore nearly levelled with a headed effort from a set-piece corner, while later Mahrez set up Mohamed Amoura for an attempt that Herve Koffi parried away during an Algerian counter in added time of the first half.

Maza squandered two clear chances in the latter period, and substitute Georgi Minoungou skimmed the crossbar with a late shot as Burkina Faso pressed forward without success to draw level.