AFCON 2025: Equatorial Guinea vs Algeria preview, prediction, team news, and head-to-head

While this fixture appears to be a dead rubber on paper, it offers Equatorial Guinea the opportunity to salvage some pride in Rabat.

After reaching the knockout stages in their previous two appearances, Equatorial Guinea have suffered their first-ever group-stage exit. Narrow defeats have defined their campaign: a stoppage-time heartbreak against Burkina Faso was followed by a 1-0 loss to Sudan.

Juan Michá’s side has now lost three consecutive matches, scoring just once since mid-November. For a team traditionally built on resilience, this tournament has cruelly flipped the script.

Algeria, by contrast, arrive in complete control. Back-to-back clean-sheet victories have secured the top spot regardless of this result. Sunday’s 1–0 win over Burkina Faso extended their unbeaten run to 18 matches, officially erasing the scars of their disappointing 2021 and 2023 exits.

Vladimir Petković’s men have already matched their combined goal tally from those two tournaments, providing the perfect opportunity to rotate the squad while maintaining winning momentum.

History between these two nations is remarkably balanced. Equatorial Guinea won the first-ever meeting in 2022, but they have failed to find the net in the two most recent encounters (D1, L1). Notably, all three historic meetings between these countries have been level and goalless at half-time.

Equatorial Guinea: Juan Michá faces selection headaches after Santiago Eneme and Pedro Obiang were forced off with injuries against Sudan. Their absence may see Pablo Ganet return to the starting XI.

Algeria: The Fennec Foxes are monitoring Jaouen Hadjam and Samir Chergui, both of whom took knocks during the physical battle with Burkina Faso. Houssem Aouar remains sidelined with a pre-existing injury.

Equatorial Guinea (4-1-4-1): Owono, Akapo, Obiang, Coco, Anieboh, Mascarell, Salvador, Ganet, Machín, Josete, Zúñiga.

Algeria (4-2-3-1): Zidane, Belghali, Mandi, Bensebaini, Hadjam, Boudaoui, Bennacer, Mahrez, Maza, Aït-Nouri, Bounedjah.

With Algeria likely to rest several key starters and Equatorial Guinea desperate to end their goal drought, expect a cagey affair. However, the depth of the Algerian squad should be enough to maintain their perfect record.

• Algeria to win

• Under 3.5 goals