RABAT: Substitute Adil Boulbina struck a dramatic winner a minute from the end of extra time as Algeria edged past the Democratic Republic of Congo 1-0 on Tuesday to secure a place in the Africa Cup of Nations quarter-finals.
With the tense round-of-16 clash seemingly destined for a penalty shootout, Boulbina made the decisive intervention, cutting in from the left wing before unleashing a dipping effort that clipped the underside of the crossbar on its way into the net.
The late breakthrough was a fitting reward for Algeria, who were the more enterprising side and created the clearer chances in a fiercely contested encounter.
Algeria will now face Nigeria in a mouth-watering quarter-final showdown in Marrakesh on Saturday.
