Ben Yahia refuses to intervene after Mouloudia Alger altercation

Khaled Ben Yahia, coach of Mouloudia Alger, refused to intervene in the dispute between Ayoub Abdellaoui and Mohamed Zougrana at the end of the match against Chabab Témouchent. The incident took place after the final whistle and became a major talking point among the club’s supporters.

A source within Mouloudia said Ben Yahia regarded the altercation as normal, particularly because it happened after the match rather than during play. Zougrana, meanwhile, reportedly told people close to him that he could no longer tolerate his captain’s repeated remarks. He felt he was routinely singled out as responsible and used as an excuse for the team’s recurring defensive errors. That frustration, the source said, prompted his strong reaction after the game.

The dispute stemmed from a dangerous Chabab Témouchent attack that its forward nearly turned into a late equaliser. Abdellaoui strongly reproached his Burkina Faso international teammate over his part in the incident. Goalkeeper Ramdane made a decisive intervention to prevent the equaliser and spare his team a draw.

In that sequence, the captain did not accept responsibility for his own part, although centre-back Ayoub Ghazala and Ramdane were also involved. Instead, he criticised Zougrana, accusing him of losing the ball in midfield and allowing the opposition to launch a counterattack. In front of his teammates, Abdellaoui also justified his anger by saying Zougrana had not played the ball seriously: he had allegedly declined to pass, tried to dribble and then lost possession, giving the opposition a dangerous chance.

The tension continued after the match. Zougrana refused to join his teammates in greeting the supporters, and their attempts to calm him down were unsuccessful.

Mouloudia Alger must now prepare for a difficult rearranged match against ASO Chlef, scheduled for Tuesday at the latter’s ground. The dispute comes after the club’s management had previously renewed the contracts of several key players, including Abdellaoui, Abdelkader Manzala and Mohamed Benkhemassa.