USM Alger Survive, ASO Chlef Relegated After Fiery Final Day Clash
USM Alger ensured their survival in Ligue 1 with a decisive 3-1 victory over ASO Chlef on the final day of the Algerian championship. The match, played behind closed doors at the Omar Hamadi Stadium in Bologhine, saw USMA score all three goals in a dominant first half, courtesy of Youcef Belaïli, Bouazza, and Koudri. The result effectively ended ASO Chlef’s hopes of staying up and confirmed their relegation to Ligue 2.
For ASO Chlef, it marks the end of a 13-year stay in the top flight. The club, crowned Algerian champions in 2010, failed to rise to the occasion in this must-win match and paid the price for a dismal season overall.
Tensions flared after the match, with ASO captain Zaoui expressing frustration over the conditions in which the game was played. Speaking to Le Buteur, he criticized the hostile environment:
“We were greeted by thugs and terrorists, not by the USMA people we know. Our players were scared, they lost focus. It was impossible to perform in those conditions. Mr. Haddad is supposed to represent the State, but after what happened, I no longer consider him the same. I blame him, not USMA.”
Zaoui also addressed the future, placing hope in the Ligue de Football Professionnel’s leadership:
“We’re in Ligue 2 now. I hope Medouar doesn’t repeat past mistakes, especially from the first half of the season, so that we can bounce back next year.”
While USM Alger can now look ahead to the group stage of the CAF Champions League, ASO Chlef faces the long road back from relegation.
