03 September, 2017
Not only did Riyad Mahrez fail to secure a transfer on Deadline Day, but his decision to seek one appears to have ended his country's World Cup dreams.
Riyad Mahrez will miss the clash against Zambia he was allowed to leave the Algerian squad to confirm his move away from Leicester City.
Eventually it was evident that Mahrez would remain a Leicester City player, and the Premier League victor had to make his way back to his Algerian team-mates - but not in time for their trip to Zambia.
The 26-year-old was sorely missed by his global team-mates as they lost 3-1 in Lusaka, dealing a huge blow to their World Cup qualification hopes. Nevertheless, Algerians at the 3rd qualification stage show very weak results and most likely in Russian Federation we will not see them.
But the national team of Algeria for all history of its existence performed in four final stages of the World Championships, and the best of them was the tournament in 2014, in which the Algerians reached the 1/8 finals. So after a draw with the Cameroon national team 1: 1, the team of Algeria lost in the second round of the Nigerian national team 3: 1 and remains in the last place in the group B. After 2010, they don't meet each other at any game and playing today.
Mwila hit the upright in the fifth minute before finding the net within 60 seconds, rising between two Algerian defenders to head home a cross from Augustine Mulenga.
But Yacine Brahimi pulled one back for Algeria in the 55th minute.
Three minutes later Zambia suffered a setback when Fashion Sakala was sent off for a second booking.
But 19-year-old Enock Mwepu, also making his global debut, came on to score on the counter in the final minute to make sure of home success.