Defending champ Algeria held by Sierra Leone in big surprise

DOUALA, Cameroon (AP) — Defending champion Algeria missed a bunch of goal-scoring chances to the growing fury of coach Djamel Belmadi on the sidelines and drew with Sierra Leone 0-0 in a big African Cup surprise on Tuesday.

Sierra Leone is playing in its first African Cup of Nations since 1996 and only its third ever, and came up against an Algeria team that is unbeaten since 2018. But Algeria found no way past Sierra Leone goalkeeper Mohamed Kamara, who celebrated the result of the Group E game at Japoma Stadium in Douala as if it was a win.

Sierra Leone squad players sprinted from the bench onto the field at the end to join the celebrations.

Algeria had countless opportunities to open its title defense with a victory, which was expected. Yacine Brahimi hit two shots right at Kamara in quick succession at the start of the second half.

Algeria substitute Sofiane Bendebka couldn’t get his effort on target with Kamara out of position after making another save in the 67th minute. Riyad Mahrez was denied when Kamara got his fingertips to a low shot that was destined for the bottom corner in the last 10 minutes.

Algeria put Sierra Leone under siege for most of the second half but when striker Baghdad Bounedjah, another substitute, headed weakly and straight at Kamara in the final act of the game deep in injury time, a totally frustrated Belmadi fell to his knees on the touchline and smashed his hands into the ground.

It could have been even worse for Algeria: Alhaji Kamara had a goal for Sierra Leone ruled out for offside — rightly — at the start of the second half.

Steven Caulker played in central defense for Sierra Leone. He’s a former England defender who played one international in 2012 but was allowed to switch allegiance last month because off a grandparent from Sierra Leone.

On the eve of the game, Belmadi and the Algeria team had expressed their support for three Algerian journalists who were attacked and robbed by men with knives outside their hotel in Douala. Two of the journalists sustained knife wounds but have been released from the hospital.

Algeria faces Equatorial Guinea and then Ivory Coast in its other group games.

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