Algeria vs DR Congo: Is the Desert Warriors winning run at AFCON 2025 under threat?
by Thobelani Moyo | by Thobelani Moyo
The Desert Warriors are aiming to rise from past AFCON failures
After suffering back-to-back group stage eliminations in the 2021 and 2023 editions, the fallen giants of North Africa, Algeria, have risen from the ashes and have asserted themselves as genuine title contenders.
The Desert Warriors are one of two nations, alongside Nigeria, that concluded the group stages with a 100% record for the first time since 2019. They were drawn in Group E and faced the likes of Burkina Faso, Sudan, and Equatorial Guinea, all of whom were easy opponents.
However, Vladimir Petkovic's men are faced with a tough test in the Round of 16. Their opponents at this stage are DR Congo, who are not to be underestimated after securing their spot in the 2026 World Cup at the expense of Nigeria. Check out what our experts have to say in our Algeria vs DR Congo prediction for insights on the match.
Being intimidated should be the least of the Desert Warriors' worries, though, in this upcoming encounter, having avoided defeat in seven matches against this opponent. Of those games, three ended in victory (D4).
It has been 26 years since the two teams last met at AFCON. Nothing much could separate the sides as they played to a goalless draw in a Group B stage game. Despite that, Algeria will be glad to know they have the upper hand in this fixture having registered one win in two meetings.
If they manage to pass this stage, they could reach the quarter-finals for the first time since 2019. Also, it would be their seventh appearance at this stage.
The Leopards are out to build on the impressive group stage run
DR Congo also had an impressive run in the group stages. A 3-0 victory over Botswana in the final group stage game extended their unbeaten run in the competition to three games (W2, D1).
In fact, the Leopards were able to finish second in Group D behind Senegal, who topped the group. It is worth noting that this is the second consecutive time they've progressed beyond the group stages without suffering a defeat in each of their three games.
Victory here could see DR Congo reach the quarter-finals of the Africa Cup of Nations for the second consecutive time. Additionally, this would mark their tenth appearance at this stage.
Indeed, they held Algeria to a goalless draw in their last AFCON meeting in 2000, but their overall record in this fixture has been uninspiring. They have yet to win IN seven games, recording three losses and four draws. Success here could mark their first-ever win against this opponent in the nation's history.
Can Mahrez and Kakuta be X-Factors on the big stage for their nations?
Riyad Mahrez has been in outstanding form in the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations campaign. The veteran concluded the group stages as the joint top scorer with three goals to his name.
The veteran winger is one goal away from etching his name into Algeria's Africa Cup of Nations history books. He could become the first player for his nation to score four goals in a single AFCON tournament. The last person to achieve this feat was Djamel Menad in 1990.
It is also important to highlight that Mahrez is currently Algeria's all-time top scorer in this competition, having scored nine goals.
A gifted footballer in his own right, Gael Kakuta, who plays for second division club Sakaryaspor in Turkey, had one of his best performances at AFCON against Botswana in the final group stage game.
He produced a sublime backheel assist to Nathanael Mbuku, who finished at the near post to open the scoring in the 31st minute. It wasn't until ten minutes later that Kakuta doubled the lead from the spot.
The 34-year-old wasn't done for the day as he scored his second goal of the game on the stroke of 60 minutes. At the end of the day, he etched his name in the history books of DR Congo by becoming the first player to score a brace since Cedric Bakambu in 2019.
Also, he became the fourth-oldest player to score a brace, a feat that hadn't been achieved since 2010. If there's one player capable of making DR Congo reach a century of goals, which would make them the eighth nation to do so in this competition, then it has to be the former Chelsea wonderkid – Gael Kakuta!
