Algeria striker Ayman Mahious scored the lone goal to inspire his side to the semi-finals of the TotalEnergies African Nations Championship (CHAN) 2022.
The USM Alger star has converted two penalties at this tournament and netted three goals in total to earn him the top spot on the highest goal scorers table, but it was his penalty finish and incredible performance against Côte d’Ivoire on Friday that earned him the Man-of-the-Match award.
“God did not disappoint us in this match, and we achieved victory and qualified for the semi-finals. We thank the fans and the technical staff for their support. The scenario of the match was not easy especially since our goalkeeper Guendouz was sent off. Now, we have three days before the semi-finals and we will prepare well for that,” Mahious said in the post-match press conference.
He continued, “We overcame the pressure in the first matches and regarding the attacking problem, I do not know because we scored four goals or more in the friendly matches.”
Mahious thanked his teammates and the technical staff after their contribution to his brilliance, “I thank the technical staff and players very much for their support and efforts made in the match. The reality of the dream is beginning to grow for our team, and we want to continue our adventure until the end.”
Algeria will now face the winner between Niger and Ghana in the semi-final for a place in the final and for a chance to lift their first ever CHAN title.
