Just a week before the FIFA World Cup kicks off, Algeria delivered a major surprise by defeating the Netherlands 1-0 on Dutch soil, sending a strong message ahead of the tournament.

Despite the result, the early stages were largely controlled by the Netherlands. Donyell Malen struck the post in the 8th minute, followed by Tijjani Reijnders having a goal disallowed two minutes later, leaving Algerian fans uneasy during the opening exchanges.

Goalkeeper Luca Zidane was instrumental in keeping Algeria level at the break, producing several key saves. The second half saw both coaches make sweeping changes — seven substitutions by Vladimir Petkovic for Algeria and five by Ronald Koeman for the Netherlands — which made the match more open and evenly contested as time went on.

Although the Dutch maintained greater possession and attacking pressure, Algeria began threatening on the counter, showcasing their flair up front. The decisive moment arrived late in the match when Hadj Moussa embarked on a dazzling solo run from the right flank, cutting inside before unleashing a stunning left-footed strike into Bart Verbruggen’s top corner.

The brilliant goal sealed a memorable win for the Fennecs and provided a huge morale boost as they head to their base camp in Lawrence, Kansas, USA. There, Algeria will play one final warm-up fixture against Bolivia on June 10.

For the Netherlands, the defeat highlighted their wastefulness in front of goal, despite producing 17 shots to Algeria’s 8 and recording an xG of 2.19 compared to Algeria’s 0.48. The Dutch will look to regain their sharpness when they face Uzbekistan in their final friendly five days from now, before opening their World Cup campaign on June 14 against Japan.