JS Kabylie finally shattered a decades-long jinx on Sunday evening, securing a hard-fought 1-0 victory over USM Alger at the Stade du 5 Juillet.
The result marked the club’s first league win away to USMA in Algiers since November 1989—ending a drought that had haunted generations of supporters.
Josef Zinnbauer’s side struck late to deliver a win of rare magnitude—one that carries not just three points, but emotional and symbolic weight.
Against a USMA team still reeling from recent disappointments in both the Algerian Cup and CAF Confederation Cup, JSK’s narrow triumph lifted them onto the league podium and reignited their ambitions for a top finish.
The historical significance of the result cannot be overstated.
More than 36 years had passed since JS Kabylie last left the capital with a league win against the “Rouge et Noir.” Since that day in 1989, season after season had added layers of frustration, with JSK unable to crack the code on USMA’s home turf.
Even moments of cup success against their rivals, like the 2013 Algerian Cup elimination, offered only partial solace. The championship curse, in particular, remained intact—until now.
“Curses exist… until the day they fall,” remarked one jubilant JSK supporter after the final whistle.
That fall came through a blend of tactical discipline, patient buildup, and unwavering belief.
Zinnbauer’s men approached the encounter with determination and left no doubt about their hunger to rewrite the narrative.
For USMA, the loss compounds a period of mounting pressure and disappointment.
But for JS Kabylie, it was more than just a well-earned away victory—it was a moment of release, a collective exhale after decades of disappointment in Algiers.
Supporters celebrated with equal parts joy and disbelief, many of them witnessing such a moment for the first time in their lives.
FULL TIME | 🔴 USMA 0️⃣ – 1️⃣ JSK 🔰
⚽ 90+3′ Sarr
La JSK a réussi à obtenir une victoire cruciale pour le podium à Alger en toute fin de match ! 🤩 pic.twitter.com/ZHnnSL1nsF
— JSK Time 🔰 (@JSK_Time) April 19, 2025
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The long shadow of near-misses, last-minute defeats, and bitter draws has finally lifted, at least for this season.
For Zinnbauer, the win is likely to be remembered as one of his defining moments at the helm of JSK.
For the club, it is a new chapter—one that pays tribute to the persistence of players and fans alike, who never stopped believing that history could be changed.
And for Algerian football, it was a night when an age-old storyline was rewritten in real time.
