Vladimir Petković lived up to his long-standing nickname on Tuesday night, performing a late tactical “operation” that rescued Algeria and carried them into the quarter-finals of the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations.
Faced with a stubborn and streetwise Democratic Republic of Congo side, the Swiss coach diagnosed his team’s attacking illness, took a calculated risk deep into extra time, and was rewarded with a dramatic 1–0 victory that kept Algeria’s continental ambitions alive.
A controlled setup with limited penetration
For much of the contest, Algeria looked short of inspiration. Petković set his side up in a familiar 4-2-3-1, seeking control through Ismaël Bennacer and Hicham Boudaoui in midfield, with Ibrahim Maza tasked with linking play behind Mohamed Amine Amoura.
Yet dominance of the ball did not translate into clear chances. DR Congo were content to sit compact, concede possession, and frustrate the Desert Foxes with disciplined lines and timely interceptions.
Crossing reliance and a lack of attacking depth
Algeria’s main attacking outlet became crosses from wide areas, a strategy that exposed a key weakness. Without a natural penalty-box presence like Baghdad Bounedjah, deliveries into the area rarely troubled the Congolese defence.
The tempo was slow, the movement off the ball limited, and creative sparks from Riyad Mahrez and Maza were largely smothered. It was a pattern that increasingly played into the hands of DR Congo, who waited patiently for errors and counter-attacking opportunities.
The extra-time reshuffle that changed everything
Petković resisted the temptation to overhaul his approach too early, instead using the second half to test variations while maintaining structural balance.
The turning point arrived late in extra time, when the coach finally abandoned caution. In the 113th minute, he introduced Adil Boulbina for Farès Chaïbi, before sending on Ramiz Zerrouki moments later.
The shape shifted decisively to a 4-4-2, pairing Bounedjah with Amoura and injecting genuine width and urgency into Algeria’s play.
The impact was immediate. Algeria began to stretch the pitch, commit more bodies forward, and ask questions DR Congo had not previously faced. With the clock ticking towards penalties, the breakthrough finally came.
Boulbina, a late substitute, struck a sensational winner in the 119th minute, a moment of quality that crowned Petković’s bold intervention and sent Algerian supporters into raptures.
The goal was more than a match-winner; it was a statement of intent. Algeria had been tested, stifled, and pushed to the brink, yet found a way through composure and decisive coaching.
It marked a return to the AFCON quarter-finals for the first time since their 2019 triumph for Algeria, and set up a heavyweight showdown with Nigeria that now awaits with renewed belief.
