DOUALA, Cameroon (AP) — Defending champion Algeria missed a heap of goal-scoring chances to the growing fury of coach Djamel Belmadi on the sidelines and drew with minnow Sierra Leone 0-0 in a big African Cup surprise on Tuesday.

Sierra Leone is playing in its first African Cup since 1996 and only its third ever, and came up against an Algeria team that is unbeaten since 2018 in its opening game in Cameroon.

But Algeria found no way past Sierra Leone goalkeeper Mohamed Kamara, who celebrated the result of the Group E game at Japoma Stadium in Douala as if it was a win.

Sierra Leone squad players sprinted from the bench onto the field at the end to join the celebrations.

Algeria had countless opportunities to win. Yacine Brahimi hit two shots straight at Kamara in quick succession at the start of the second half.

Substitute Sofiane Bendebka couldn’t get his effort on target with Kamara out of position after making a save. Riyad Mahrez was denied when Kamara got his fingertips to a low shot that was destined for the bottom corner.

And when striker Baghdad Bounedjah, another substitute, headed weakly and straight at Kamara in the final act of the game deep in injury time, a totally frustrated Belmadi fell to his knees on the touchline and smashed his hands into the ground.

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