Algeria Ligue 1: Stars lift JS Kabylie, Fatawu scores from his backside

JS Kabylie’s veteran stars rose to the occasion on Friday as The Canaries came back to earn a 2-1 victory at Paradou AC in the Algeria Ligue 1.

The visitors fell behind early at the Stade Omar Benrabah but Josef Zinnbauer’s side rallied behind the strength of their Algerian internationals. Experienced playmaker Ryad Boudebouz equalized just before halftime when Aymen Mahious knocked down a cross for the former Montpellier star to smash home.

The momentum was firmly on the side of the visitors by the second half and Mahious confirmed three points for JSK when he took advantage of a miscommunication between Paradou goalkeeper Toufik Moussaoui and his defense to fire in after Moussaoui failed to claim a cross.

In Friday’s later match , CR Belouizdad were held to a 1-1 draw by newly promoted MB Rouissat, whose star for the day incredibly scored on both ends. It looked like it was going to be a disheartening match for Ghanaian fullback Hamidu Fatawu after the former Medeama player saw a cross bounce off him and into his goal early in the second half. However, within less than ten minutes, Fatawu incredibly scored from his backside to equalize from a volley in a remarkable turn of events.

Rouissat stay at the top of the table for now in an encouraging start to life in Ligue 1 but will likely be overtaken by big clubs like JS Kabylie, who have games in hand. However, with significant investment at the club to bring in foreign players like Fatawu, it appears that MBR are here to stay in the top flight.

Action from Ligue 1 will continue over the weekend with defending champions MC Alger among the teams in action as they return to domestic league play.