With the last-16 contest at the Moulay Hassan Stadium locked in a tense stalemate deep into extra time, Vladimir Petkovic turned to his bench and was rewarded almost instantly.
Just minutes after his introduction, Boulbina cut inside from the right and unleashed a curling effort that clipped the crossbar before beating Lionel Mpasi-Nzau, finally breaking Congolese resistance in the dying moments. The dramatic victory sends Algeria into the AFCON quarter-finals for the first time since their 2019 triumph, where they will face Nigeria in Marrakesh on January 10.
–SABC–
