Algeria, a US opponent at World Cup in June, loses 3-0 to Malawi at African Cup of Nations

Algeria loses 3-0 to Malawi at African Cup

LUANDA, Angola — Algeria, which will play the United States in the opening round of the World Cup, lost to Malawi 3-0 Monday in the African Cup of Nations.

Tournament favorite Ivory Coast managed only a scoreless draw against Burkina Faso in Cabinda.

The soccer showcase has been reduced from 16 teams to 15 following Togo’s withdrawal after two members of its delegation died in a gun attack on the team bus Friday.

Ivory Coast will have to defeat Ghana on Friday in Cabinda in its last Group B match to be guaranteed a quarterfinal spot. Ghana was to have played its first game Monday against Togo.

“Ghana is one of the best teams in Africa,” Ivory Coast defender Kolo Toure said. “We’ll need to show character. We have the spirit, the team.”

In Luanda, in a largely deserted stadium, Malawi won for the first time in the tournament. Russell Mwafulirwa opened the scoring after 17 minutes, blasting a left-footed shot into an empty net after a goalkeeping blunder by Fawzi Chaouchi. Bryson Kafoteka had a header in the 36th and Davi Banda completed the scoring with a low shot in the 49th.

Algeria, champion in 1990, struggled against a team whose only previous appearance at the African Cup was in 1984.

The result means that Malawi leads Group A with three points, two ahead of Angola and Mali, which tied 4-4 in the tournament opener Sunday.

“We still have a chance to progress but we need to play well against Mali,” Algeria coach Rabah Saadane said. “We have … to talk about today’s game and work on our tactics.”

In Cabinda, Ivory Coast — boasting such stars as Didier Drogba, Yaya Toure and Emmanuel Eboue — failed to capitalize against a team it twice beat during qualifying.

Ivory Coast and Burkina Faso, west African neighbors, have one point each. Ivory Coast won its only African Cup in 1992.

“They kept fighting until the end,” Ivory Coast coach Vahid Halilhodzic said. “This time we lacked a bit of luck. But this is not over yet.”

AP Sports Writer Samuel Petrequin in Cabinda, Angola, contributed to this report.