The Fennecs fell at home to the Cameroonians (1-2) who needed only two chances to validate their ticket to the World Cup in Qatar.
Qualifying campaigns are always a long road. Sometimes made of roses, sometimes perilous. The main thing is to be there. On Tuesday night, Cameroon did just that. At the end of a match where the Foxes could have made the break several times in Blida, the Indomitable Lions won in the last second of the extra time (1-2). Enough to qualify for the 2022 World Cup.
Despite the advantage that offered them the victory in the first game (0-1), the Algerians took out the claws very early, hoping to hurt from the first minutes. Slimani could have done it. But his first attempt is pushed back into corner. And on the next, he did not frame his shot after a gift from André Onana. Ryad Mahrez also missed (12th). Youcef Atal thought he had a better chance. But the shot from 30m of the Nice defender goes straight to the Cameroonian keeper who saves his side (16th). The Fennecs dominate, the Lions roar and inspired, the Algerians led the debates against the Cameroonians "forbidden" to put the foot in their area. That is, until the 20th minute. After a first attempt was rejected for a corner, Choupo-Moting broke the lock of M'Bolhi after a ball released by the keeper (21st, 0-1). Algeria could then equalize after a blunder of Michaël Ngadeu. But Youcef Belaïli wasted an Islam Slimani's caviar by missing completely the frame (28th). After the break, the two coaches did not change anything. And it almost smiled to the Algerians. On the first action of the second act, Islam Slimani scored before seeing his goal refused, for an offside position (48th). André Onana then had to save his team from two powerful shots of Slimani (54th and 59th). The response was slow to come: 8 minutes to be precise. Well launched in depth by Faï Collins, Léandre Tawamba puts a header pushed back by the Algerian keeper. The ball then rebounded to Martin Hongla who saw his shot blocked by a defender (67th). Riyad Mahrez's reaction was harmless; the Citizen's shot was caught by an in-form Onana (88th).
Toko sends Cameroon to Qatar
The first chance of the extra time was Algeria's: a sumptuous shot from Slimani that flirted with the bar (91st). The number 13 of the Fennecs had more success on the next attempt. Problem: his goal is cancelled again, this time for a hand (101e). But the Algerians do not despair. The Green and White are chaining the firecrackers. But on the other side, all the opportunities are pushed back by an Andre Onana XXL. The Cameroonian goalkeeper held his game until this head of Ahmed Touba (118th, 1-1). Algeria exulted and even saw themselves in Qatar. But it is without counting on a shot in the last seconds of the game. Toko Ekambi scores from a deflected header and sends Cameroon to the World Cup (120th, 1-2).
