U23 Friendly: Algeria saves face against South Africa (1-1) in Bloemfontein
The Algeria U23 team secured a 1-1 draw against South Africa on Sunday, October 4, 2026, at the Dr. Petrus Molemela Stadium in Bloemfontein, at the end of the second leg of a friendly double-header played entirely in the South African city.
The drama unfolded in the space of two minutes. In the 33rd minute, Algerian defender Mohamed Faïz Belgouraï scored an own goal, giving the South Africans the lead. By the 35th minute, Ben Ahmed Kohili brought both teams level, as reported by Footafrique and Onze d'Afrik. The score remained unchanged thereafter.
Three matches without a win
This draw allows Rafik Saïfi's Greens to steady the ship after the setback in the first meeting on Thursday, October 1, which they lost 1-3 at the same venue. However, the record remains concerning: three matches without a win and seven goals conceded during this period, notes Footafrique, which identifies defensive fragility as the most urgent area for improvement for this squad.
The Algerian coach fielded goalkeeper Yasser Zitouni, as well as Issam Naïm, Abdelhak Ben Idder, and Ben Ahmed Kohili in his starting eleven.
See you in November for the U23 AFCON
These two tests were not chosen at random. Algeria is preparing for the second round of the 2027 U23 Africa Cup of Nations qualifiers, where they will face the winner of the duel between Malawi and Eswatini. The first match is scheduled for November 2026, according to Onze d'Afrik.
For both federations, the value of this trip goes beyond the result. Sending a North African youth team to Southern Africa for two high-level matches is exactly the kind of South-South cooperation that is too often missing in continental football: quality African opponents, found in Africa, without the need for expensive European tours.
Now, they must translate the exercise into results. The U23 AFCON is the gateway to major tournaments, and the young Fennecs know they will need to defend much better if they want to stay in the race.
This article was written in French with the help of artificial intelligence from the sources cited below, then translated from French automatically. Read the original.
