Sports
Algeria seal world cup spot with 3-0 win over Somalia
Mohamed Amoura netted two goals as Algeria secured a 3-0 victory over Somalia on Thursday, earning their place as the fourth African team to qualify for the 2026 World Cup, joining Morocco, Tunisia, and Egypt.
The Wolfsburg forward opened the scoring in the sixth minute, volleying in a cross from Riyad Mahrez, who later scored himself by capitalizing on a loose ball in the first half.
Mahrez provided another assist in the 57th minute, setting up Amoura for Algeria’s third goal.
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Convinced of the team’s qualification, coach Vladimir Petkovic substituted both players shortly after.
The match in Oran was a predictable result, with Algeria, ranked 163 places above Somalia in the FIFA world rankings, dominating the game.
In Group G, Algeria lead with 22 points, four ahead of Uganda, with Mozambique, Guinea, Botswana, and Somalia trailing behind as the group nears its final round.
Much of the pre-match attention focused on Luca Zidane, son of French football icon Zinedine Zidane, who recently switched his international allegiance to Algeria.
The Granada goalkeeper, who previously played for France at youth levels, was eligible to represent Algeria due to his paternal grandparents’ Algerian heritage.
Named as a substitute by coach Vladimir Petkovic, Luca Zidane watched from the bench as Alexis Guendouz of Mouloudia Alger started in goal.
Algeria’s qualification marks their fifth World Cup appearance, set for the 2026 tournament hosted by the United States, Canada, and Mexico.
Their previous World Cup outings in 1982, 1986, and 2010 ended in first-round exits, but in 2014, they advanced to the second round in Brazil, narrowly losing 2-1 to Germany, the eventual champions.
n another match, Ryan Ogam scored in the 73rd minute to give Kenya a 1-0 win over Burundi in a heated East African derby in Bujumbura, where Burundi played with 10 men for most of the game.
Burundi’s Bonfils-Caleb Bimenyimana was sent off early for a foul on Kenya’s goalkeeper Brian Okoth, who was injured and replaced by Bryne Odhiambo.
The incident led to a tense first half, with Burundian players surrounding the referee after a studs-up foul by Kenya’s Manzur Suleiman, demanding a red card instead of the issued yellow.
Despite their advantage, Kenya struggled to create chances until Jonathan Nahimana’s brilliant save in first-half stoppage time denied a long-range effort.
Ogam’s goal eventually broke Burundi’s resistance, boosting Kenya’s Harambee Stars to third in Group F, eight points behind leaders Ivory Coast.
In Group F, Ivory Coast and Gabon have been dominant, separated by just one point as they approach their second-to-last matches on Friday.
Ivory Coast face Seychelles in Mauritius, as Seychelles lack a FIFA-approved stadium, while Gabon take on Gambia in Nairobi, another nation without an international-standard venue.
A win for Ivory Coast and a loss for Gabon would secure Ivory Coast’s fourth World Cup appearance, their first since 2014.
On Friday, nine qualification matches are scheduled, including three in Group C, where Benin, South Africa, Nigeria, Rwanda, and Lesotho all remain in contention for the top spot.
Benin lead South Africa on goal difference, with both teams three points ahead of Nigeria and Rwanda, while Lesotho trail by five points.
Lesotho’s campaign was boosted when a 2-0 loss to South Africa in March was overturned by FIFA to a 3-0 win due to South Africa fielding an ineligible player, Teboho Mokoena.
Manchester United salvaged a point against Nottingham Forest with Amad Diallo’s spectacular volleyed 2-2 equalizer in the closing stages, marking exactly one year since Ruben Amorim took charge of the club.
The visitors opened the scoring through Casemiro’s header following a disputed corner decision.
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Officials ruled that Nicola Savona’s clearance of Bryan Mbeumo’s delivery had crossed the touchline, though video evidence appeared inconclusive about whether the entire ball had gone out of play.
Despite holding their interval advantage, United’s hopes of climbing to second place evaporated early in the second period. Forest overturned the deficit within five minutes through Morgan Gibbs-White, who converted Ryan Yates’ cross, before Savona capitalized on defensive confusion to put the hosts ahead—ending their four-game scoring drought.
Rather than collapse, Amorim’s men responded with 81 minutes played when Amad struck brilliantly from distance after Forest partially cleared a set piece. United nearly snatched victory in stoppage time, but Amad’s goal-bound effort was hacked away on the goal line.
Crystal Palace snapped their winless streak with a convincing 2-0 triumph over Brentford, who had been enjoying strong form.
Jean-Philippe Mateta broke the deadlock with an exquisite arcing header that sailed beyond Caoimhin Kelleher’s reach into the far corner, adding spark to an otherwise dull opening period.
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The striker had previously netted three times in Palace’s thrilling stalemate with Bournemouth two weeks earlier.
Despite defeating Liverpool in their previous outing, Brentford struggled throughout the first half. Their best opportunity to level came when Mikkel Damsgaard stepped up to take a free kick from a promising position after Daichi Kamada’s foul, but he blazed his attempt well over.
Brentford’s misery deepened shortly after halftime when Nathan Collins deflected Jefferson Lerma’s long delivery past his own goalkeeper, doubling Palace’s advantage.
Collins nearly compounded his error by surrendering possession to Ismaila Sarr in a dangerous area, though the Senegalese forward’s shot struck the woodwork.
Reiss Nelson tested Dean Henderson late on with a curling strike, but Oliver Glasner’s side comfortably preserved their clean sheet.
Arsenal maintained their perfect winning streak with a dominant away performance against Burnley, extending their run to nine consecutive victories across all competitions.
Viktor Gyokeres and Declan Rice found the net as the league leaders secured their fifth straight league triumph, establishing a seven-point gap at the summit, though some rivals have matches in hand.
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Mikel Arteta’s men overcame a Burnley outfit known for defensive resilience and riding high after successive wins. Arsenal’s set-piece prowess—league-leading this campaign—proved decisive when Gyokeres tapped home from Rice’s corner delivery.
Martin Dubravka denied Bukayo Saka with an acrobatic stop before Leandro Trossard saw his attempt cleared off the line. Rice then doubled the advantage before halftime, meeting Trossard’s lofted pass with a powerful header.
The hosts enjoyed greater possession after the restart and threatened through Florentino Luis, whose close-range header sailed over, while Marcus Edwards rattled the frame of the goal with a late free kick.
Beyond that brief scare, Arsenal cruised through their eighth victory in ten league matches this season. The 2-0 defeat leaves Burnley hovering just four points above the relegation zone in seventeenth position.
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