Algeria crashed out of the 2023 Africa Cup of Nations as minnows Mauritania claimed a well-known first ever win on the finals to grab a spot within the final 16.
Centre-back Yali Dellahi swept dwelling the successful aim late within the first half to stun the two-time Afcon winners.
Defeat means 2019 champions Algeria exit the match on the group stage for the second successive version.
They end backside of Group D whereas Mauritania will certainly progress as probably the greatest third-placed groups.
Mauritania will face shock Group B winners Cape Verde within the final 16 at Felix Houphouet Boigny Stadium in Abidjan on Monday (17:00 GMT).
Algeria be part of fellow former champions Ghana in being eradicated after outcomes earlier on Tuesday meant the Black Stars, with simply two factors to their title, can’t qualify as one of many high 4 third-placed sides.
The Lions of Chinguetti needed to stand up to late strain and survive greater than 11 minutes of stoppage time as Algeria sought a leveller that might have despatched them by at Mauritania’s expense.
However the underdogs have been good worth for a victory that despatched them into the knock-out phases alongside second-placed Burkina Faso and Angola, who sealed high spot within the group by beating the Burkinabe 2-0.
Abject Algeria punished by magnificent Mauritania
Algeria had drawn their opening two group video games in Ivory Coast and knew one other draw on the Stade de la Paix would safe qualification as a degree would put them among the many 4 best-ranked third-placed groups.
Nothing however a victory would do for his or her opponents, nevertheless, after that they had misplaced their first two matches – and that distinction was evident all through with Mauritania way more purposeful and threatening of their play.
They needed to negotiate a barely nervy opening half-hour, when Houssem Aouar volleyed huge an honest likelihood for Algeria, however have been greater than a match for the North Africans from then on.
Mauritania’s first likelihood noticed Souleymane Anne thwarted by Anthony Mandrea however Algeria didn’t clear the following nook and Dellahi capitalised to ship the underdogs into raptures.
They need to have made their margin of victory extra snug, losing a bunch of second-half possibilities in opposition to an Algeria facet repeatedly run ragged on the counter.
However Aboubakary Koita blazed over after a superb solo run, Mandrea saved properly from Aboubakar Kamara and Pape Ibnou Ba hit the bar from shut vary when it appeared simpler to attain than miss.
Algeria, although, lacked the nous to punish Mauritania for these misses, though the half-time introduction of Riyad Mahrez, surprisingly dropped by boss Djamel Belmadi, did present extra creativity.
The ex-Manchester Metropolis winger was the architect of their finest possibilities, along with his crosses organising Hicham Boudaoui’s header and Aissa Mandi’s volley, which have been each brilliantly saved by Babacar Niasse.
The Mauritania goalkeeper made yet another key save to foil Mandi amid a tense near-dozen minutes of time added on earlier than the ultimate whistle yielded scenes of jubilation for the north-west Africans, who had misplaced six of their earlier eight matches at Afcon finals, drawing the opposite two.
Their victory marked one other main triumph for coach Amir Amdou, who was in command of Comoros because the islanders reached the final 16 on their debut on the 2021 finals earlier than shedding to hosts Cameroon.
Algeria had the very best file of any crew in qualifying for the 2023 finals however a number of of their gamers left the sector in tears they usually bow out having not received a single sport within the match’s two editions since lifting the title 4 years in the past.