Algeria show no mercy against Guatemala in Italy

CONCACAF foe Guatemala were no match for the stars of Algeria as Les Verts ran off to a 7-0 thrashing at the Stadio Luigi Ferraris in Genoa, Italy.

Amine Gouiri scored twice, Riyad Mahrez converted a penalty kick and Houssem Aouar also starred for the North Africans, who produced 25 shot attempts on the Guatemalan goal in their lopsided victory.

It started out decently for Los Chapines, who held out for the first eighteen minutes. However, goalkeeper Kenderson Navarro’s mistake at the edge of his penalty area led to an embarrassing moment as Navarro tripped over his own feet to allow Gouiri’s weak effort into the goal.

The mistake allowed Algeria to seize the advantage and Gouiri was tripped up in the penalty area, resulting in Mahrez’s spot kick to double the lead. In first half stoppage time, USM Alger player Achref Abada made it 3-0 with a splendid strike from distance that left Navarro with no chance.

Algeria add more goals in the second half

Guatemala made four substitutions at halftime but it only made the situation worse. Less than two minutes elapsed before Aouar provided a sliding finish to Rayan Aït-Nouri’s cross and then Aouar set up Gouiri to complete his brace on the hour mark.

Les Verts coach Vladimir Petković then made four substitutions, with two of those new players finishing the scoring in the final fifteen minutes. Frosinone forward Farès Ghedjamis scored on his debut with an excellent finish before former Paradou AC striker Nadhir Benbouali added one more goal late on.

 

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Algeria will engage a more challenging opponent to complete their activity during the March FIFA window when they face Uruguay in Turin on March 31.