Ayem Mahious scored two goals as hosts Algeria hammered Niger 5-0 to reach the final of the 2022 African Nations Championship (CHAN) on Tuesday.
Mahious scored his fourth and fifth goals of the tournament in the first-half to secure the emphatic victory for the Desert Warriors in Oran.
Captain Ayoub Abdellaoui opened the floodgates before Mahious' brace extended the lead to 3-0 before an own goal by Boureima Katakore put the home side in the driving seat at hlalf-time.
Substitute Sofiane Bayazid sealed the emphatic victory with just seven minutes left to give the home side the biggest win of the tournament so far.
The Desert Foxes took the lead in the 15th minute after constant pressure on the opponent's area yielded the necessary result when goalkeeper Mahamadou Djibo made a hash of Abderrahmane Meziane's corner.
Captain Abdellaoui, who was lurking at the far post, latched on with a header to put his side into the lead and send the home fans agog.
Niger just could not settle afterwards as Mahious caught the ball on the half-volley at the 23rd minute to beat Djibo for the second time in the afternoon for his fourth goal of the competition.
Algeria extended their lead to 3-0 as another set-piece delivery in the 34th minute was headed by Mahious and the ball went past Djibo for the striker's second goal of the match.
A stunned Harouna Doula made two quick changes to help halt the commanding style of the Desert Foxes with supersub Ousseini Badamassi substituted in for impetus upfront for the Menas.
But the situation did not change as once again the set-piece was the undoing of Niger. A corner from the right by Belkhiter was turned in by Niger skipper Abdoulaye Kakore to make it 4-0 before the break.
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