Amine Gouiri’s international night ended almost as soon as it began, with Marseille now waiting for clarity after the Algerian forward was taken off in the 17th minute against Zambia.
Key takeaways
- Gouiri started for Algeria in their opening 2027 Africa Cup of Nations qualifying match against Zambia.
- The Marseille striker left the pitch after reporting a muscular problem, apparently affecting his adductors.
- He was replaced by Amin Chiakha after 17 minutes.
- Gouiri walked off slowly, raising concern over his condition.
- The incident comes after the serious shoulder injury he suffered with Algeria in autumn 2025.
Marseille await medical assessment
The 2027 AFCON qualifying campaign had barely settled into its first matchday when Gouiri required an early substitution. Algeria’s starting centre-forward appeared to feel discomfort in the muscle area around his adductors and was unable to continue against Zambia on Friday.
There has been no indication of the severity of the issue, but the sight of the 26-year-old departing at such an early stage will inevitably concern Marseille. Gouiri has been OM’s first-choice striker and will need to be assessed after returning from international duty.
Chiakha entered in his place. The Denmark-born forward, who was raised in Denmark, is viewed as one of the emerging talents in Algeria’s national-team set-up.
A fresh concern after 2025 shoulder setback
Gouiri knows the risks of an international break all too well. During Algeria’s match against Uganda in autumn 2025, he sustained a major shoulder injury which required surgery soon afterwards.
This latest problem appears to be muscular rather than a recurrence of that shoulder issue, but Marseille will be hoping it proves no more than a brief warning. The club’s forward line could face an unwelcome interruption if the adductor discomfort keeps Gouiri out beyond the Zambia fixture.
