Algeria started their defence of the Africa Cup of Nations title with a goalless draw against a tenacious and spirited Sierra Leone team in the Group E tie.
The Leone Stars had the better first-half chances, with Alhaji Kamara missing two chances.
After the half, Algeria’s Yacine Brahimi fired a shot straight at goalkeeper Mohamed Nbalie Kamara, who also tipped a low shot from Riyad Mahrez beyond the post.
In stoppage time, Nbalie Kamara denied Ramy Bensebaini and Baghdad Bounedjah.
Algeria’s unbeaten run in senior internationals now stands at 35 matches, getting closer to Italy’s world record of 37 games without defeat, but coach Djamel Belmadi will be disappointed his side couldn’t find a way past a team ranked 108th in the world.
In the second half, the Desert Foxes created numerous chances, but their finishing let them down, with replacement Said Benrahma skewing a shot wide with five minutes remaining after coming off the bench.
In the first minute of injury time, Bensebaini cut into the area and had his low shot handled by Nbalie Kamara, before forward Bounedjah delivered a free header from a corner right at the Leone Stars goalkeeper, who went to his knees in joy.
Steven Caulker, a former England defender who just switched allegiance to Sierra Leone, produced two key blocks to help his side keep a clean sheet in their first Nations Cup appearance since 1996.
Both sides are back in action on Sunday when Algeria take on Equatorial Guinea and Sierra Leone face a stern task ahead of an encounter with Ivory Coast.
