Algeria's MC Alger reached the group stage of the 2026/27 men's CAF Champions League by beating Nigeria's Rangers International 3-0 on 23 October at Ali La Pointe Stadium in Douéra, in the Algiers area. Having lost the first leg 2-0, the Algerian side won the second preliminary round tie 3-2 on aggregate. All three second-leg goals came after half-time.
How did the aggregate score change from 0-2 to 3-2?
Rangers brought into Algeria the advantage earned in Abeokuta on 18 October. The return leg was goalless at half-time, leaving MC Alger needing three unanswered goals to advance without a penalty shootout. The combined score across both matches, not merely the second-leg result, decided the tie.
| Leg and date | Venue | Result |
|---|---|---|
| First leg, 18/10/2026 | Abeokuta, Nigeria | Rangers International 2-0 MC Alger |
| Second leg, 23/10/2026 | Ali La Pointe Stadium, Douéra, Algeria | MC Alger 3-0 Rangers International |
| Aggregate | Second preliminary round | MC Alger 3-2 Rangers International |
The three goals and the qualifying moment
Chahreddine Boukholda opened the scoring in the 58th minute. Mohamed Bangoura added a second in the 84th, leveling the aggregate score at 2-2. Soufiane Bayazid then scored the third in stoppage time. FotMob records the goal at 90+2, the third minute of added time described in the Confederation of African Football (CAF) report.
| Minute | Scorer | Second-leg score | Aggregate after the goal |
|---|---|---|---|
| 58 | Chahreddine Boukholda | 1-0 | MC Alger 1-2 Rangers |
| 84 | Mohamed Bangoura | 2-0 | 2-2 |
| 90+2 | Soufiane Bayazid | 3-0 | MC Alger 3-2 Rangers |
Between the first and second goals, Bangoura also missed a penalty saved by goalkeeper Destiny Abuchi, according to a report by Nigerian outlet Soccernet. That attempt did not count as a goal. When the aggregate stood at 2-2, a penalty shootout remained a possibility; Bayazid's goal settled the tie before one was needed.
What does the win mean for the next round?
Qualification put MC Alger among the 16 group-stage clubs named by CAF on 26 October. The draw was scheduled for 28 October 2026 at 3 p.m. in Cairo (12:00 GMT), with four groups of four teams to be formed. At the time of this check, MC Alger's group opponents had not yet been determined.
Rangers were eliminated. According to Soccernet, with Rivers United having already exited in the previous preliminary round, Nigeria had no club left in this season's group stage. MC Alger's comeback was therefore settled within normal time in the second leg, with no penalty shootout.
