ALGIERS, Nov. 14 (Xinhua) -- Algeria on Thursday stunned visiting Zambia 5-0 in their opener of the African Cup of Nations 2021 qualification to top Group H.
In Mustapha Tchaker Stadium in Blida province, 55km south-western Algiers, the holders of the African Cup of Nations 2019 took the lead near the end of the first half with a perfect header by Bensebaini.
Baghdad Bounedjah converted a penalty to make it 2-0 in the 68th minute. Belaili scored the third with a nice curved shot on 75 minutes.
Head coach Djamel Belmadi made some changes, as he sent in Hilal Soudani who marked his return to the Desert Foxes squad after nearly two years absence due to injury and low shape.
Soudani rewarded his coach by scoring the fourth in the 86th minute, and Bounedjah netted the fifth in the 92nd minute.
Algeria, temporarily, top Group H with 3 points, pending Friday's game between Zimbabwe which hosts Botswana at the National Sports Stadium in Harare.
