Key Takeaways
- Algeria defeats Senegal 2-0 in the 2026 Women’s Africa Cup of Nations opener
- Melissa Bethi scores the decisive goal in the 88th minute
- Algeria captain Marine Dafeur converts a 42nd-minute penalty
- Senegal goalkeeper Khady Faye's blunder gifts Bethi the winning goal
Algeria secured a convincing 2-0 victory over Senegal in the 2026 Women’s Africa Cup of Nations (WAFCON) opener on Sunday. The match, played in Rabat, saw Algeria score late in both halves, with captain Marine Dafeur converting a 42nd-minute penalty and Melissa Bethi striking in the 88th minute.
Senegal created early pressure but failed to capitalize on their chances, allowing Algeria to gradually take control of the match. Algeria's neat passing and coordinated play earned them a deserved victory, with the team ranked one place above Senegal in Africa and five places higher in the world.
The penalty awarded to Algeria late in the opening half was debatable, with minimal contact between Senegal captain Korka Fall and Amira Braham. However, after a VAR review backed the match official, Dafeur struck a left-foot shot into the right corner of the net.
Match Highlights
Algerian Lana Smits seemed to commit a similar penalty-area foul on Tall Pene just before the hour mark, but play continued. Any hopes Senegal had of snatching a draw disappeared when a weak clearance by Faye was intercepted and a quick pass set up Bethi to score with a low shot.
Record 10-time champions Nigeria debut on Tuesday in Group C against Malawi, who boast star forwards in the Chawinga sisters. Tabitha plays for Lyon and Temwa for Kansas City Connect.
Why This Matters
This victory marks a strong start for Algeria in the tournament, and the team will look to build on this momentum in their upcoming matches. The 2026 Women’s Africa Cup of Nations is set to be a highly competitive tournament, with several top teams vying for the title.