Algiers, Algeria – (African Boulevard News) – The TotalEnergies U17 Africa Cup of Nations kicked off on Sunday, with host-nation Algeria taking on Somalia in the opening game. It was a thrilling match, with Algeria dominating proceedings from start to finish. Captain Moslem Anatouf was the star of the show, scoring twice to give his side a 2-0 victory over the debutants.
Algeria started the game brightly, dominating possession and creating several opportunities. However, they were unable to convert any of their chances, with the score remaining 0-0 at halftime. Somalia grew in confidence as the game went on, with goalkeeper Abdullahi Yarow producing several fine saves to keep the Algerians at bay.
However, their resistance was finally broken in the 68th minute, when Anatouf scored the opening goal of the game. The Algerian captain had been a constant threat throughout the match, and he finally got his reward with a clinical finish past Yarow. Somalia tried to respond, but they were unable to find an equalizer, and their hopes of a shock result were dashed just four minutes later when Anatouf scored his second goal of the game.
It was a deserved victory for Algeria, who will be pleased with their performance. Coach Abdelkader Yaïche was full of praise for his team after the game, saying: “I am very happy with the performance of my players. They played with passion and determination, and they deserved to win. We have a long way to go in this tournament, but we will take it one game at a time.”
The victory puts Algeria top of Group A, ahead of Ivory Coast and Nigeria, who drew 1-1 in the other game on Sunday. Somalia, meanwhile, will be disappointed with the result, but they can take heart from their performance. They showed that they can compete at this level, and they will be looking to bounce back in their next game against Nigeria.
Overall, it was a great start to the tournament, and fans will be hoping for more exciting games in the coming days. The TotalEnergies U17 Africa Cup of Nations is an important tournament for the development of young talent in Africa, and it provides a platform for players to showcase their skills and potentially secure moves to top clubs in Europe.
