Soccer-African champions Algeria win to stretch unbeaten run

By Mark Gleeson
CAPE TOWN, Oct 9 (Reuters) - African champions Algeria
maintained their two-year unbeaten run with a 1-0 win over
Nigeria in the Austrian Alps on Friday on a busy night of
international football for African countries.
Mali upset Ghana 3-0 in their meeting in Turkey, Morocco
beat Senegal 3-1 at home while Cameroon held Japan to a goalless
draw in their friendly in the Netherlands.
There were also wins for Burkina Faso, Gambia, Kenya,
Mauritania and Tunisia.
Rami Bensebaini's sixth-minute goal, scrambled home from a
corner, was enough to ensure victory for Algeria in Sankt Veit
an der Glan, where Nigeria are hosting a week-long training
camp.
Algeria have now gone 15 games without defeat over the last
two years, including winning the 2019 Africa Cup of Nations.
They are among a host of African countries who have decamped
to Europe for the international window to play friendlies ahead
of next month's resumption of the African Cup of Nations
qualifiers.
With the bulk of many teams' squads drawn from players based
at European clubs, it has been easier to play the games in
Europe than in Africa amid COVID-19 travel restrictions.
Mali scored through captain Hamari Traore after three
minutes, with El Bilal Toure and Amadou Haidara adding
second-half goals as they upset a strong Ghana side, including
new Arsenal signing Thomas Partey, in Antalya, Turkey.
Senegal had to do without talisman Sadio Mane, who tested
positive for COVID-19 last week, as they went down 3-1 in Rabat
to Morocco.
Morocco used Hakim Ziyech as a second-half substitute
despite Chelsea's new signing having yet to make his debut for
his club because of an early-season injury.
Burkina Faso enjoyed a one-sided 3-0 victory over the
Democratic Republic of Congo with new Aston Villa signing
Bertrand Traore among the scorers.
Assan Ceesay scored the only goal as the Gambia upset Congo
1-0 in their friendly played in Portugal while Mauritania won
2-1 at home against Sierra Leone.
Tunisia were 3-0 home winners against Sudan while Kenya beat
a home-based Zambia side 2-1 in Nairobi.
The games were the first played by African countries since
last November.

(Editing by Toby Davis)