For 118 minutes and 47 seconds, Adil Boulbina had been a footnote in Algeria's AFCON campaign. A late call-up. A promising youngster from the domestic league who'd earned his spot through sheer persistence. His senior international career consisted of 12 minutes against Sudan in the group stage.
Then, in the dying embers of extra time at the Moulay El Hassan Stadium in Rabat, he became the name everyone in Morocco – and back home in Algiers – would remember forever.
The strike that changed everything
Picture the scene. Both teams are running on empty. DR Congo, who'd defended with every fibre of their being for nearly two hours, are starting to believe. Penalties feel inevitable. The 18,837 fans – mostly Algerian – have resigned themselves to the lottery of spot-kicks.
Then Ramiz Zerrouki, another substitute, finds Boulbina on the left side of the box. The 22-year-old cuts inside, onto his right foot. Time slows. He unleashes a thunderbolt that screams into the far corner, past Lionel Mpasi's desperate dive.
The stadium erupts. Flares light up the stands. Boulbina is buried under a pile of teammates. And DR Congo's hearts shatter into a thousand pieces.
Boulbina's remarkable journey
Here's the thing about Boulbina that makes this story even more extraordinary: he wasn't even supposed to be here. Vladimir Petkovic, Algeria's meticulous Swiss coach, had overlooked him for months. Algerian fans had been clamouring for his inclusion – he was the top scorer in the domestic league last season with 20 goals for Paradou AC before moving to Qatar's Al Duhail.
What changed? The Arab Cup in December. Playing for Algeria's A' team under Madjid Bougherra, Boulbina scored three goals and grabbed an assist. Petkovic finally relented, adding him to the squad at the last minute.
Now look where that decision got them.
"Boulbina has slightly different characteristics from the players we have," Petkovic had explained when announcing the selection. "He likes to get in behind and is clinical in front of goal." Clinical doesn't begin to cover what he produced on Tuesday night.
A tale of Congolese heartbreak
For Sébastien Desabre's DR Congo, the ending was almost unbearably cruel. They'd come to Morocco with genuine aspirations – semi-finalists in 2024, World Cup playoff to look forward to in March, a squad brimming with Premier League talent like Aaron Wan-Bissaka and Axel Tuanzebe.
Their defensive display deserved better. Goalkeeper Mpasi had been outstanding, making crucial saves from Fares Chaibi and Baghdad Bounedjah in the 111th minute when penalties seemed certain. The Leopards had restricted Algeria to just two shots on target across 120 minutes.
"We did an excellent job and now we are disappointed," Desabre said afterwards, his voice heavy with the weight of what might have been. "I congratulate the Algerian team and wish them the best. We gave a good tactical display in the match, but unfortunately luck was harsh on us."
Luck. Perhaps. But fortune tends to favour those who keep pushing, keep believing, keep firing shots into the box when everyone else has given up.
Petkovic gets his reward
The Swiss-Bosnian coach, who took charge of Algeria in 2023 after previous disappointments, had demanded patience from a fanbase not known for offering it. His approach – methodical, controlled, sometimes frustrating – has been questioned throughout this tournament.
Tuesday night vindicated him completely.
"I believe we deserved to win based on what our players delivered," Petkovic said. "We controlled two-thirds of the match and played good football, even though we faced some challenges during the game."
Challenges is putting it mildly. Algeria dominated possession – 59% across the match – but couldn't find a way through DR Congo's organised defensive structure until the very last moments. The Fennecs had 17 attempts to Congo's 6, but only two troubled Mpasi.
It was beginning to feel like one of those nights. The kind where you do everything right but go home empty-handed.
Boulbina ensured that wouldn't happen.
Nigeria await in what promises to be a classic
Saturday's quarter-final in Marrakech will see Algeria face Nigeria – a repeat of the 2019 semi-final that Riyad Mahrez won with a memorable free-kick in the dying minutes. The Super Eagles hammered Mozambique 4-0 on Monday; they'll be fresher, having avoided extra time.
Petkovic isn't worried. "I like these kinds of matches because they demand hard work and intensity against teams that are aiming for the title," he said.
For Boulbina, the journey continues. Four weeks ago, he'd never played a competitive minute for Algeria. Now he's the man who kept their AFCON dream alive.
Football writes the most incredible stories sometimes. This one is far from finished.