Mohamed Amoura’s Nice form gives Algeria hope of ending scoring drought

Mohamed Amoura returns to the Algeria squad in excellent form with Nice, but he has not scored for his country since 14 October 2025.

The 26-year-old made an immediate impact in Nice’s 2-0 win at Angers on Sunday, creating the opening goal for Sofiane Diop within two minutes. After forcing a save from the opposition goalkeeper, Amoura supplied the pass for Diop to score.

The move reflected the qualities he has shown since joining Nice from Wolfsburg in search of a fresh start in Ligue 1: pace, direct running and the ability to threaten opponents quickly.

Amoura has now recorded two goals and two assists for Nice. His influence has extended beyond those figures, with his intensity and willingness to repeat his runs also standing out.

Used on the left, the forward moves inside to receive the ball, attacks space behind the defence and contributes to the defensive effort. The role allows him to use his main strengths while retaining freedom in the final third.

That form comes at an important time for Algeria, who face Togo twice. Brahim Hemdani will have a confident player who is settled in his club side and can affect matches even when he does not score.

For the national team, however, Amoura’s lack of goals has become increasingly notable. His last strikes came in a 2-1 win against Uganda at Hocine-Ait-Ahmed Stadium, when he scored twice from the penalty spot.

The drought is particularly striking given that Amoura finished as the leading scorer in the African qualifiers for the 2026 World Cup, scoring 10 goals in 10 matches.

His reduced goal return has not diminished his wider contribution to Algeria. During the previous international break, he worked hard and played an important role in building attacks. He provided two assists against Zambia, but ended the match in tears after missing chances and facing criticism from some supporters.

That commitment was valued at a time when Algeria have struggled to settle on a recognised number nine. Amoura is more naturally a mobile attacker than a conventional centre-forward expected to play with his back to goal, and judging him solely by his goals would overlook other parts of his game.

Algerian fans have at times been harsh when he has missed significant chances. Yet his record during World Cup qualifying showed how quickly he can produce a sequence of goals once his confidence returns.

Hemdani must now decide how best to deploy him against Togo. From a wide position, Amoura could benefit from the movement of a central striker and exploit open spaces. Through the middle, he would offer greater mobility but could become isolated against physically strong defenders.

His performances for Nice strengthen the case for a prominent role. After more than a year without scoring for Algeria, Amoura has the opportunity to turn his renewed club influence into international goals.