Paradou AC left Setif with a hard-earned point after a pulsating 2-2 draw with ES Sétif, as the fifteenth round of the Professional Football League One delivered a blend of drama, tactical battles and crucial shifts in the standings.
The encounter at the 5 July 1962 Stadium lived up to expectations, with both sides trading attacks in an open contest that rarely allowed either defence a moment’s rest.
ES Sétif pushed forward in front of their home supporters, but Paradou responded with resilience and fluency in possession, ensuring the match remained finely balanced from start to finish.
When the final whistle sounded, neither team had managed to impose lasting control, and the share of the spoils reflected the flow of an entertaining contest.
Elsewhere in the round, goals were plentiful and tension high, beginning at the 20 August 1955 Stadium where Najm Ben Aknoun were held to a 2-2 draw by Olympique Akbou.
The fixture unfolded at a relentless pace, with both sides committing men forward and refusing to settle for a single point.
The crowd was treated to an end-to-end spectacle, with the lead changing hands and momentum swinging repeatedly.
In the closing minutes, neither team was prepared to ease off, but the contest eventually concluded with honours even after an evenly matched display.
In contrast, the meeting between Mouloudia El Bayadh and Taraji Mostaganem at the Zakaria Majdoub Stadium was a study in discipline and restraint.
Defensive organisation was the dominant theme as both teams approached the match with caution, wary of conceding ground in a tightly contested league table.
The breakthrough came when El Bayadh found a way through the Mostaganem rearguard to claim a 1-0 victory, a result that brought three invaluable points.
That narrow win was celebrated as much for the defensive resolve shown by El Bayadh as for the goal itself.
Their back line stood firm under pressure, denying Taraji clear opportunities and preserving an advantage that could yet prove decisive in the broader context of the season.
Back in Setif, Paradou’s draw carries particular significance.
Taking a point away from one of the league’s traditional heavyweights is no small achievement, and the visitors demonstrated both composure and ambition in a stadium where many teams have struggled.
ES Sétif, for their part, will reflect on missed chances in a match they might feel could have been won, but which ultimately underlined the competitive balance now defining the championship.
As the fifteenth round concluded, the overall picture was one of increasing unpredictability.
Clubs chasing the upper reaches of the table are finding that no fixture can be taken lightly, while those lower down are beginning to show signs of defiance, determined to claw their way out of danger.
The national championship now moves into a phase where every point carries added weight.
With the table tightening and margins growing ever slimmer, the mix of thrilling draws and hard-fought victories witnessed this weekend is likely to become the norm rather than the exception.
For Paradou, El Bayadh, and the rest of the field, the message is clear: consistency will be the currency that shapes the final reckoning.
