Africa · Football
Published Saturday, Nov. 14, 7:46 p.m. ET (1:46 a.m. Sunday, Algiers) · Source: Rio Times match desk, two independent match reports, Polymarket
Togo held Algeria goalless for 75 minutes, and then one cross settled the night. Captain Ramy Bensebaini headed in the winner in the 76th minute, and Algeria beat Togo 1-0 on Saturday evening, Nov. 14, in Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) qualifying.
The result in the AFCON 2027 qualifiers puts Algeria three points clear in Group I. The two teams meet again in Togo on Tuesday, Nov. 17.
Key Facts
- Result. Algeria 1, Togo 0 on Saturday, Nov. 14, in Tizi Ouzou, Algeria: round three of six in qualifying.
- Goal. Captain Ramy Bensebaini headed it in the 76th minute from an Anis Hadj Moussa cross.
- Group I. Algeria lead on 7 points, three clear of second-placed Zambia.
- Next. Togo v Algeria in Lomé, Togo’s capital, on Tuesday, Nov. 17. Kickoff time not confirmed.
- Prediction markets. Polymarket gives Algeria 10.5% to win the 2027 tournament (US$22,515 traded, Nov. 14, 7:46 p.m. ET).
This story is part of our coverage of the AFCON 2027 qualifiers. Dates, times and how to follow it are in our guide.
In plain English
The Africa Cup of Nations is the continent’s national-team championship, and teams must qualify in four-team groups first. The top two in each group go to the finals, which Kenya, Tanzania and Uganda host from June 19 to July 17, 2027.
A Stubborn Togo, Then One Cross
The first half finished goalless, and Togo kept Algeria out for more than an hour. Then Anis Hadj Moussa, an Algeria attacker, whipped in a cross and Bensebaini met it with his head.
Bensebaini is a defender who captains the team, so the winner came from the back line. The match was played at the Hocine Aït Ahmed Stadium in Tizi Ouzou, a city in the Kabylie mountains east of Algiers.
What the Win Does to Group I
Algeria now have seven points from three games, three more than Zambia in second place. They opened the campaign with a 3-1 win over Zambia in Tizi Ouzou and have not lost since.
Only the top two teams in each group qualify, so three points on Saturday matter more than the scoreline suggests. Each team plays six games, which leaves the group at its halfway point.
Tuesday’s Return Match in Lomé
Algeria travel to Togo for the return fixture at the Stade de Kégué in Lomé on Tuesday, Nov. 17. A second win would lift Algeria to 10 points with two games left.
Togo, nicknamed the Éperviers, or Sparrowhawks, will need points at home to stay in the race. We could not confirm a kickoff time for that match.
What Prediction Markets Say
Polymarket, a prediction market where people trade real money on outcomes, priced Algeria at 10.5% to win the whole 2027 tournament as of 7:46 p.m. ET on Nov. 14, on US$22,515 traded. Morocco led that market at 32.5%, followed by Senegal at 19.4% and Ivory Coast at 12.3%.
These prices are bets, not polls. Why we show this: prediction markets turn real-money bets into a live probability that moves within minutes of the news, which is why investors, campaigns and newsrooms in the United States now follow them closely.
We show them next to polls and official results, never instead of them.
What It Means for US Readers
Algeria are two-time African champions, winning in 1990 and 2019, and a strong qualifying run keeps them on course for the 2027 finals. The tournament runs from June 19 to July 17, 2027.
We have not confirmed a US broadcaster for the Lomé match. For other results this week, see our reports on Mali’s comeback win over Rwanda and Egypt’s 5-0 win over Malawi.
What Is Not Known
No source we reviewed gave the kickoff time, the attendance or the full line-ups. The reports also label the group differently, Group I in most and Group Nine in one, and we use Group I.
We found no match report from the Confederation of African Football, the sport’s governing body in Africa, at the time of writing. The points tally for Togo and Burundi was not confirmed to our standard, so we do not print it.
Frequently Asked Questions
Who scored in Algeria’s win over Togo?
Captain Ramy Bensebaini scored the only goal with a header in the 76th minute. Anis Hadj Moussa provided the cross.
When do Algeria and Togo play again?
The return match is on Tuesday, Nov. 17, at the Stade de Kégué in Lomé, Togo. The kickoff time has not been confirmed.
Sources: Rio Times match desk, based on two independent match reports in French and English; Polymarket (AFCON 2027 Winner). No official CAF match report was available at publication.
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