It’s redemption time for the Fennec Foxes, who are eager to impress after a shambolic 2021 run in Cameroon.

For Captain Riyad Mahrez and his colleagues, making amends means going past stiff opposition in Angola before thinking of how to handle the other two in the group - Burkina Faso and Mauritania.

Beyond Mahrez, the Algerians will look further within for inspiration especially from Milan's Ismael Bennacer, who has become an important part of the squad, after sustaining a knee injury. There are also the likes of Islam Slimani, who is playing in his sixth TotalEnergies CAF AFCON, Said Benrahma (West Ham) and Houssem Aouar (Roma) among a tall list of talents.

Djamel Belmadi has so much quality to tap from.

His counterpart on the Angolan side of things, Pedro Goncalves, has an arduous task on his hands to try and navigate their way past the North African opposition. With a ninth AFCON appearance, it is the first time since 2019 that they are showing up amongst the big boys. Breezing past the group stage is an important morale booster for the Palancas Negras, who are in Côte d’Ivoire without M’bala Nzola (Fiorentina).

The rest of Goncalves’ men including Jérémie Bela of Ligue 1 side Clermont will be tough customers; after reaching the quarter-finals in 2008 and 2010 (which they hosted), they will hope to do better in Group D. One of their recent attributes of not being heavy scorers yet not conceding, is a potential negotiating tool opponents will have to settle for.

Despite pre-tournament predictions favouring Algeria, Monday’s game could go either way.

Head-to-Head, while Algeria have recorded two wins (1985 and 2001), Angola has recorded just a win over Algeria (2006 World Cup Qualifiers). Six of their encounters have been played out as drawn games, the last one being the 0:0 game in the group stage of the 2010 TotalEnergies CAF AFCON.

Algeria vs Angola (Group D)

Date: Monday January 15, 2024

Venue: Stade de la Paix, Bouaké

Kick-off: 8pm GMT