CAF Champions League – Group Stage: MC El Eulma Fall Again Despite Promising Start
MC El Eulma‘s struggles in the CAF Champions League continued as they suffered their fifth defeat in five group stage matches, losing 2–3 to Al-Merrikh on Saturday. Already eliminated from the race for a semi-final spot, the Algerian side came into the match determined to earn their first points and save face in front of their home crowd. Despite a strong start, they were ultimately undone once again.
The Eulmis had a dream first half, taking a 2–0 lead with goals from Younes Kadri (14′) and Abdelmalek Abbes (26′). They looked poised to finally notch a win. However, Al-Merrikh responded powerfully in the second half, showing their physical strength and tactical resilience.
The Sudanese champions mounted an impressive comeback, scoring three times in just over 20 minutes through Hadou Ala’ (67′), Boubeker Bakari (70′), and a decisive penalty in stoppage time, sealing a dramatic 3–2 victory.
MC El Eulma coach Cherif Hadjar remained gracious in defeat:
“I would like to congratulate my players for their performance despite the defeat. We would have liked to win the match as an honorary title to exit the competition with a bang. Unfortunately, we did not succeed. We cannot ask the players for results beyond their strength.”
Reflecting on the match, Hadjar added:
“We led the game well in the first half and could have added more goals. It’s a pity we conceded due to defensive errors, but also because of the impressive physical strength and conditioning of Al-Merrikh.”
MC El Eulma will play their final group match next month in a derby clash against Aigle Noir, hoping to end their campaign with a measure of pride despite a dismal run in the competition.
