Algeria qualifies for the World Cup for first time since 2014 after Mahrez inspires win

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BIR EL DJIR, Algeria (AP) — Algeria has become the fourth African country to qualify for the 2026 World Cup — and all of them are from the north of the continent.

A 3-0 win over Somalia on Thursday guaranteed Algeria first place in Group G in African qualifying with a match to spare and a return to the World Cup for the first time since 2014.

Algeria, captained by Riyad Mahrez and led by former Switzerland coach Vladimir Petkovic, joined neighboring nations Morocco and Tunisia as well as Mohamed Salah's Egypt in securing a spot in next year’s expanded 48-team tournament being held in the United States, Canada and Mexico.

It will be the fifth time for the Algerians at the World Cup — and they’ve only ever progressed from the group stage once, in 2014 when they lost to Germany in the round of 16.

A total of nine African teams will directly qualify and be in the World Cup tournament draw taking place on Dec. 5 in Washington D.C.

The other five group winners will be known over the next week. The four best runners-up play in a knockout competition in November and the winner advances to the playoffs.

Despite being a home game for Somalia, it was staged at the Miloud Hadefi Olympic Complex in Algeria and the fans were treated to a show by Mahrez — the team’s star winger who used to play for Manchester City and now is at Al-Ahli in Saudi Arabia.

The 34-year-old Mahrez set up goals for Mohamed Amoura in the sixth and 58th minutes, either side of scoring himself with a fierce strike into the roof of the net in the 19th.

Mahrez started his international career weeks before the 2014 World Cup and was included in Algeria's squad for the tournament, only playing in its first group game.

Uganda stayed in second place in the group — four points behind Algeria — after beating Botswana 1-0 and moved three points clear of Mozambique, which lost 2-1 at home to Guinea.

In the final round of matches, Uganda travels to Algeria and Mozambique plays Somalia.

All the African teams heading to the World Cup will look to repeat the exploits of Morocco, which became the first team from the continent to reach the semifinals in the 2022 tournament in Qatar.

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AP soccer: https://apnews.com/hub/soccer