RABAT, Morocco — Football legend Zinedine Zidane observed proudly as his son, goalkeeper Luca Zidane, showcased his skills during Algeria‘s impressive 3-0 victory over 10-man Sudan in their opening match of the Africa Cup of Nations on Wednesday.
Riyad Mahrez netted two goals, while 20-year-old substitute Ibrahim Maza marked his first international goal, helping Algeria, one of the tournament favorites, secure the top spot in Group E.
“Starting with a win is crucial,” Mahrez stated. “In the past two AFCONs, our beginnings were poor. We aimed to start strong today, and we succeeded.”
Zinedine Zidane attended the match at Moulay El Hassan Stadium to support his son, Luca, who was celebrated by the crowd each time he appeared on the big screen.
Luca Zidane chose to represent Algeria, honoring his grandfather’s heritage after receiving an invitation to join the team, stepping in due to an injury to Alexandre Oukidja.
The Algerian side didn’t waste any time, with Mahrez scoring the first goal just two minutes in, thanks to an assist from Hicham Boudaoui.
Luca Zidane quickly made an impact, denying a breakaway chance from Yaser Awad shortly after the opener.
Sudan, already facing challenges, has played all their qualification matches away due to a civil war that has persisted for nearly 1,000 days.
Despite the intense performance from Algeria, Sudan created the better chances, with Luca making another crucial save from Awad before Abdel Raouf missed the target.
Just before halftime, Salah Adil received a red card for a second yellow, following a foul on Rayan Aït-Nouri.
Although the Algerian fans were enthusiastic, they had to remain patient as the game progressed.
A stunning delivery from Mohammed Amoura allowed Mahrez to score his second goal in the 61st minute, while Baghdad Bounedjah assisted Maza for the final goal of the match in the 85th minute.
This report includes information from The Associated Press.