CAN 2025 – Round of 16: Algeria and DR Congo deadlocked at halftime

CAN 2025 / Algeria – DR Congo: a tight, uneventful first half

CAN 2025 – Round of 16: Algeria and DR Congo deadlocked at halftime

In Rabat, the CAN 2025 Round of 16 clash between Algeria and the Democratic Republic of Congo produced a disappointing first half, falling well short of the excitement promised by this fixture. There was little tempo and even fewer chances, as the match bogged down into a territorial battle with no real spark.

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DR Congo sat deep with a compact, disciplined block, leaving little space and showing no attacking intent. On the other side, Algeria struggled to find solutions, lacking penetration on the flanks and ideas in the final third. Isolated up front, Mohamed Amoura was often left on his own, with neither support nor enough depth.

With the score at 0-0 at halftime, the verdict is clear: to break down the Congolese wall, Vladimir Petkovic will need to adjust his approach. Bringing on a true target man like Baghdad Bounedjah, and shifting Amoura out wide, appears to be a credible option to reignite an attack that has looked far too predictable so far.