ALGIERS, Dec 21 (NNN-AGENCIES) — The goalkeeper and assistant coach of an Algerian top-flight club have been killed in a team bus crash, prompting the national federation to call off all matches this weekend.
The federation said the accident killed El Bayadh reserve goalkeeper Zakaria Bouziani, 27, and assistant coach Khalid Muftah. Bouziani made two league appearances this seas
Ten other players from the MC El Bayadh squad were injured in the accident as the team travelled north to Tizi Ouzou for their weekend fixture against JS Kabylie, the Algerian Football Federation said.
The federation said the bus crashed in Tiaret, about 150 kilometres from the Mediterranean coast, but did not elaborate on the cause.
It is with immense sadness that the president of the Algerian Football Federation, Walid Sadia . . . learned of the tragic road accident which left the club in mourning. MC El-Bayadh, playing in professional Ligue 1 Mobilis, and which led to the death of two members of this club,” the federation said in a statement translated from French.
Local media said the bus carrying the team overturned in the town of Sougueur in northwestern Algeria on the way to Tizi Ouzou to play JSK Kabylie in a league game on Friday. The club said on social media that other injured team members were in stable condition.
It said that as a mark of respect it had decided to “suspend all footballing activities nationwide this weekend across all leagues and competitions”.
It added that the draw for the next round of Algeria’s main cup competition, which had been scheduled for December 26, would now be held at a later date. — NNN-AGENCIES