MC Alger (MCA) returned to winning ways with a hard-fought 2-1 victory against NC Magra (NCM) in the opening match of the 15th round of the Ligue 1 Mobilis championship.
The match, held in Magra, saw an intense second half that delivered all three goals and plenty of drama.
The home side struck first, with former MCA player Bouzekri finding the net in the 47th minute.
His goal, coming immediately after the teams emerged from the break, gave NCM a temporary edge and put pressure on the visiting side.
However, Khaled Benyahia’s men responded swiftly.
n the 54th minute, MCA’s right-back Helaimia equalized with a stunning free kick, leaving the home crowd in stunned silence.
As the game seemed destined for a draw, Helaimia stepped up once again in stoppage time, scoring a decisive winner in the 90th+1 minute to secure all three points for MCA.
The victory marked the first under the leadership of coach Khaled Benyahia.
It also ended a winless streak that had plagued MCA since their last league triumph on November 15, a narrow 1-0 win over El Bayadh, courtesy of a goal by Andy Delort.
Notably absent from this match were key players, including Delort, Naidji, and Zougrana, who were sidelined due to injuries.
With this crucial win, MCA climbs to second place in the standings, sitting just three points behind league leaders JS Kabylie.
JSK is set to play away against ASO Chlef on Saturday, potentially altering the top-of-the-table dynamics further.
Looking ahead, MCA faces a busy schedule.
On Monday, they are set to take on ES Ben Aknoun, the winter champions of Ligue 2 (Central-West group), in the Algerian Cup.
With three games in hand in the league, MCA’s pursuit of the title remains firmly in their own control.
This performance reflects a resurgence of form for the Algiers-based team, and supporters will hope it marks the beginning of a consistent run as they aim to close the gap on JS Kabylie and contend for silverware this season.
