Algeria defeated Senegal 2-0 in the opening Group A game of the Women’s Africa Cup of Nations Morocco 2026 on Sunday in Rabat. A first-half penalty from Nguenar Ndiaye and a late strike by Mélissa Bethi secured three points for the North Africans.
Senegal enjoyed slightly more possession, but Algeria proved more clinical in front of goal, forcing five saves from their opponents while restricting Senegal to just two efforts on target. The statistics reflected a match Algeria controlled where it counted most.
The breakthrough came in the 13th minute after Senegal were awarded a penalty, with captain Nguenar Ndiaye calmly converting from the spot to hand the West Africans an early lead. Algeria had to absorb that early deficit before finding their footing.
Algeria responded positively and gradually settled into the contest, showing greater attacking intent as the first half progressed while remaining organized defensively. Senegal held their advantage as the teams went into the break.
Despite Senegal taking their slender lead into the interval, Algeria came out stronger in the second half and began applying pressure on the Senegalese defense with greater frequency and precision throughout the period.
The introduction of fresh legs midway through the second half helped Algeria maintain their momentum, while Senegal made a series of substitutions in search of greater attacking penetration in Rabat. Neither set of changes altered the balance of play in Senegal’s favor.
Algeria’s efforts paid off in the closing stages when Bethi finished confidently from a Lina Boussaha assist to put the result beyond doubt. Five minutes remained on the clock when Bethi converted.
Senegal pushed forward during the final minutes of the match, but Algeria held their shape and defended their two-goal cushion to see the game out without conceding, preserving a clean sheet across ninety minutes.
The victory gives Algeria an ideal start to the tournament ahead of Thursday’s Group A clash with hosts Morocco, while Senegal will seek to bounce back when they face Kenya in their second group match. Both fixtures fall on the same day.
Algeria’s discipline across the ninety minutes reflected an organized collective approach. They allowed Senegal to hold possession in areas where they posed little threat, then pressed with greater urgency whenever Senegal advanced into dangerous territory near goal.
Senegal’s substitutions in the second half failed to produce the breakthrough their possession warranted. Despite operating with more of the ball, their attacking play did not generate the volume of chances needed to trouble Algeria’s defensive structure consistently.
Algeria forced five saves from the Senegal goalkeeper across the full ninety minutes, a figure that underlined how much more productive their attacking play was compared to their opponents. Senegal managed only two efforts on target in return.
Bethi’s goal, set up by Boussaha, arrived with five minutes left and removed any mathematical possibility of a Senegal recovery. Algeria saw out the remaining minutes without any significant scare at the back, collecting all three available Group A points.
Group A now awaits its second round of fixtures on Thursday, when Algeria faces hosts Morocco and Senegal takes on Kenya. Algeria enter that match on the back of a winning start, while Senegal carry the weight of a defeat they will look to correct.
The opening Group A result in Rabat sets a clear early order in the section, with Algeria sitting atop the group after matchday one. The result will carry weight beyond the standings, signaling to the rest of the field that Algeria arrived in Morocco prepared to compete rather than simply participate. Senegal, who held a first-half lead inside thirteen minutes, will regroup ahead of their Thursday assignment against Kenya at the same venue. Surrendering a lead is rarely a straightforward thing to process, but with two group games still to play, their path to the next round remains open.
