Algeria face Equatorial Guinea today in a fixture that has become surprisingly rich in meaning despite a shared history that only began a few years ago.
It is easy to forget that, before January 2022, the two nations had never crossed paths on the international stage.
Equatorial Guinea, often absent from major continental competitions and currently placed 97th in the FIFA rankings, had simply never been in a position to meet Algeria throughout the entire 20th century.
No friendly was ever arranged either, despite the existence of cordial diplomatic ties between the two countries, symbolised by the Algerian embassy in Malabo.
On the pitch, however, what was once a blank page is now filled with memories that still sting.
The first encounter between the sides remains etched into Algerian minds for all the wrong reasons.
On 16 January 2022, at the Africa Cup of Nations, the reigning African champions were stunned 1–0 by Equatorial Guinea.
That defeat not only brought an end to Algeria’s long unbeaten run, it also marked the beginning of a painful downward spiral for Djamel Belmadi’s team.
Many supporters still recall the sight of Iban Salvador Edu, with his distinctive pink hair, tormenting the Greens and embodying the frustration of a night that changed the course of that tournament.
That loss was more than a single setback. It symbolised the collapse of Algeria’s campaign and left scars that lingered well beyond the final whistle.
In the collective memory, that match is not simply a defeat; it is the moment when belief was shaken and the status of African champions slipped away.
Since then, the two teams have met twice more, slowly building what can now be described as a fledgling rivalry.
In September 2024, Algeria hosted Equatorial Guinea in Oran and produced a controlled 2–0 victory, the goals arriving in the first half through Aouar and Gouiri.
It was a performance that restored some pride, a reminder that the Greens could still impose themselves when focus and discipline were present.
Yet any sense of closure was short-lived. The return fixture in Malabo ended in a frustrating 0–0 draw at the Nuevo Estadio, a game widely regarded as one of the dullest in recent memory.
Algeria struggled to break down their hosts, while Equatorial Guinea showed stubborn resistance, underlining how difficult these encounters have become.
So the record stands at three matches: one win for Algeria, one draw, and one defeat. Sparse in quantity, heavy in emotional weight. What began as a statistical curiosity has turned into a narrative of unfinished business.
As the teams prepare to meet again, Algeria are not just chasing three points.
They are confronting a recent past that still casts a shadow, seeking to reassert authority in a matchup that once seemed inconsequential but now carries genuine edge.
For the Greens, today is about more than the present. It is a chance to finally tilt this short but intense history in their favour.
