Algeria held by Burundi as Hemdani urges positives from CAN 2027 qualifier

Algeria were held to a 1-1 draw by Burundi in their second 2027 Africa Cup of Nations qualifying match, with manager Brahim Hemdani choosing to “see the glass half full” after his side recovered from a difficult start.

The Fennecs fell behind twice in the opening 12 minutes in Bujumbura. Fares Chaibi scored an own goal in the fifth minute before Burundi doubled their advantage seven minutes later.

Bachir Belloumi gave Algeria hope by pulling a goal back in the 30th minute, and Adil Boulbina completed the comeback with the equaliser in the 63rd minute.

The result leaves Algeria top of Group I on four points. They had begun their qualifying campaign with a home victory over Zambia four days earlier and will next face Niger in a friendly on 6 October in Tizi Ouzou.

Speaking to the Algerian Football Federation (FAF) after the match, Hemdani admitted his team had made a poor start but praised the response of his players.

The manager also identified several shortcomings in Algeria’s performance. He said they had struggled to find solutions in possession, failed to make sufficient use of the width of the pitch and had been wasteful in front of goal.

The long journey to East Africa, the poor condition of the playing surface and the heat in Bujumbura could all be considered mitigating factors. However, the performance has drawn criticism from supporters, who feel those circumstances do not fully explain the result against Burundi.

Burundi are ranked 141st in the world, 110 places below Algeria, who are provisionally 31st. The gap in the rankings has added to the disappointment surrounding a match in which the Fennecs were expected to take control of the group.

Despite conceding twice early on, Algeria showed enough character to avoid defeat and maintain their position at the top of Group I. Hemdani’s side will now use the forthcoming fixture against Niger as preparation before returning to competitive action.