Rayan Ait-Nouri and his Algeria side became the fourth team to book their place at the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations thanks to a 1-0 win over Togo in Lome.
The full-back once again lined up on the left side of a back four with his country as Algeria took an early lead in the qualification clash thanks to a Ramy Bensebaini penalty inside 20 minutes.
An assured defensive display from the Wolves defender and ‘The Greens’ ensured the 1990 and 2019 AFCON winners would maintain their 100 per cent record in qualifying and secured their spot in the 2025 edition of the competition which will take place in Morocco next December and January.
Back to back wins for Rayan Ait-Nouri and @LesVerts 🇩🇿 pic.twitter.com/Oy1n2sXnzB
— Wolves (@Wolves) October 15, 2024
Wolves captain Mario Lemina, who was also wearing the armband for Gabon during the October internationals, was dominant in midfield again for his country in their AFCON qualifier against Lesotho.
Despite claiming a 2-0 win, the result leaves Gabon second in Group B, behind next winter’s hosts Morocco, with seven points from their opening four matches.
Lemina and his country will now have to wait and see how their qualification games pan out in November – which will see the team face the group leaders as well as the Central African Republic – as to whether he will join Ait-Nouri and Algeria at the 2025 tournament.
Away from Africa, Wolves had two South American players bidding for a place at the 2026 World Cup with their countries this week, with Santi Bueno proving to be a stand out for Uruguay in their CONMEBOL qualification games.
After being one of the only Uruguay players to come out of their defeat to Peru with any credit earlier in the week, he helped his national team to a clean sheet and another point in a goalless draw against Ecuador in the early hours of Wednesday morning.
The point sees Uruguay maintain their third place in the table, just ahead of Andre’s Brazil, who lifted themselves up to fourth in the standings – tied on points with Bueno’s side – but just behind on goal difference.
Also in qualifying action this morning, Brazil were able to put four past Peru without reply, but the Wolves midfielder had to settle for a place on the bench to start the contest, before coming on for the final 10 minutes in place of the injured Bruno Guimaraes.
Nelson Semedo was also a late substitute for Portugal in their Nations League draw away in Scotland on Tuesday evening as he replaced Joao Cancelo for the final few minutes at Hampden Park.
The point north of the border means Portugal’s 100 per cent record in qualifying comes to an end, but they still remain on course to make the Nations League finals, by topping League A Group 1, three points ahead of Croatia.
However, there were starts for two of Wolves’ Portuguese youth internationals, as Rodrigo Gomes and Carlos Forbs played a part in their country’s 2-1 U21 Euro qualification win over Andorra.
Gomes played the first half at right back for Portugal, while Forbs lasted 85 minutes as part of the front two as their side took a 1-0 lead into the half-time break, before Fabio Silva – currently on loan from Wolves at La Liga side Las Palmas – made it 2-0 moments after Forbs made way.
However, Andorra made the scoreline tighter with a 90th minute consolation to half the deficit. But with just one defeat in qualifying from their 10 matches, Portugal had already booked their place at next summer’s U21 Euros.
Following his injury in South Korea’s win over Jordan earlier in the week, Hee Chan Hwang returned to Compton for treatment so missed out on his side’s 3-2 win against Iraq which put Korea three points top of AFC’s World Cup qualification Group B.
