1978 All-Africa Games
football tournament

Tournament details
Host country	Algeria
City	Algiers
Dates	13–28 July 1978
Teams	8 (from 1 confederation)
Venue(s)	2 (in 1 host city)
Final positions
Champions	Algeria (1st title)
Runners-up	Nigeria
Third place	Ghana
Fourth place	Malawi
Tournament statistics
Matches played	16
Goals scored	37 (2.31 per match)
Top scorer(s)	... (... goals)
Best player(s)	Ali Bencheikh
← 1973 1987 →

The 1978 All-Africa Games football tournament was the 3rd edition of the African Games men's football tournament. The football tournament was held in Algiers, Algeria between 13–28 July 1978 as part of the 1978 All-Africa Games.

Qualification

The following countries have qualified for the final tournament

Zone	Team
Hosts	Algeria
Zone I	Libya
Zone II	Mali
Zone III	Ghana
Zone IV	Nigeria
Zone V	Cameroon
Zone VI	Egypt
Zone VII	Malawi

Squads

Venues

Algiers	Algiers	Algiers
Stade 5 Juillet 1962		Stade 20 Août 1955
Capacity: 85,000		Capacity: 20,000

Final tournament

The eight teams were divided into two groups of three teams. The two top teams from each group played the semifinals before the final match.

All times given as local time (UTC+1)

Group stage

Group A

Team	Pld	W	D	L	GF	GA	GD	Pts
Algeria	3	2	1	0	6	2	+4	5
Egypt (W)	3	2	1	0	6	2	+4	5
Libya (D)	3	1	0	2	3	4	−1	2
Malawi	3	0	0	3	2	9	−7	0

13 July 1978

Egypt	1–1	Algeria
El Khatib 11'		Assad 17' (pen.)

Stade 5 Juillet 1962, Algiers

Attendance: 40 000

Referee: Hafedh Hadj Hamida (Tunisia)

14 July 1978

Libya	2–1	Malawi

Stade 5 Juillet 1962, Algiers

18 July 1978

Algeria	2–1	Libya
Belkedrouci 10' Bencheikh 73'		Al-Shoushan 46'

Stade 5 Juillet 1962, Algiers

Attendance: 20 000

Referee: Bakay Sarr (Senegal)

18 July 1978

Egypt	4–1	Malawi
Hamama Nouh		Phiri

Stade 5 Juillet 1962, Algiers

22 July 1978

Algeria	3–0	Malawi
Betrouni 51' Aouis 54' Kouici 59'

Stade 5 Juillet 1962, Algiers

Attendance: 20 000

Referee: ... Tessema (Ethiopia)

22 July 1978

Egypt	1–0 1	Libya
El Khawaga

Stade 5 Juillet 1962, Algiers

¹ The match was abandoned due to a mass brawl involving both teams, their officials, and fans. Libya were ejected from the competition, while Egypt withdrew after a number of their players were injured and to protest the brutality of the Algerian police and stadium security.

Group B

Team	Pld	W	D	L	GF	GA	GD	Pts
Nigeria	3	1	2	0	3	1	+2	4
Ghana	3	1	2	0	3	2	+1	4
Cameroon	3	0	2	1	2	3	−1	2
Mali	3	0	2	1	3	5	−2	2

14 July 1978

Nigeria	3–1	Mali

Stade du 20 Août, Algiers

14 July 1978

Ghana	2–1	Cameroon
		N'Doumbé

Stade du 20 Août, Algiers

17 July 1978

Nigeria	0–0	Cameroon

Stade du 20 Août, Algiers

17 July 1978

Ghana	1–1	Mali

Stade du 20 Août, Algiers

21 July 1978

Nigeria	0–0	Ghana

Stade du 20 Août, Algiers

21 July 1978

Cameroon	1–1	Mali

Stade du 20 Août, Algiers

Knockout stage

	Semifinals				Final
	25 July – Algiers
	Algeria	2
					28 July – Algiers
	Ghana	0
					Algeria	1
	25 July – Algiers
					Nigeria	0
	Nigeria	1
	Malawi	0
					Third place
					28 July – Algiers
					Ghana	1
					Malawi	0

Semifinals

25 July 1978

Algeria	2–0	Ghana
Ighili 57' Belkedrouci 62'

Stade 5 Juillet 1962, Algiers

Attendance: 30 000

Referee: ... Kilini (Zambia)

25 July 1978

Nigeria	3–2	Malawi
		Phiri

Bronze-medal match

28 July 1978

Ghana	1–0	Malawi

Stade 5 Juillet 1962, Algiers

Gold-medal match

28 July 1978

Algeria	1–0	Nigeria
Bencheikh 33'	Report

Stade 5 Juillet 1962, Algiers

Attendance: 60,000

Referee: Hafedh Hadj Hamida (Tunisia)

Final ranking

Rank	Team	Pld	W	D	L	GF	GA	GD	Pts
1	Algeria (H)	5	4	1	0	9	2	+7	9
2	Nigeria	5	2	2	1	4	2	+2	6
3	Ghana	5	2	2	1	4	4	0	6
4	Malawi	5	0	0	5	2	11	−9	0
Eliminated in the group stage
5	Cameroon	3	0	2	1	2	3	−1	2
6	Mali	3	0	2	1	3	5	−2	2
Withdrew after the group stage
7	Egypt	3	2	1	0	6	2	+4	5
Ejected from the competition
DSQ	Libya	3	1	0	2	3	4	−1	2
Total		32	11	10	11	33	33	0	32