USM Alger secured their opening win of the season with a 2:0 victory over JS El Biar in Ligue 1's second round on Thursday evening. The hosts dominated possession at 63 per cent and controlled the tempo throughout, though the opening goal came only after half an hour when Z. Draoui found the net. To be fair, the visitors had chances too, but couldn't convert them against a disciplined defence.
The match settled into a pattern early on, with USM Alger dictating play while JS El Biar looked to counter. The breakthrough came in the 30th minute as Draoui capitalised on a moment of opportunity, and by then the visitors were already behind. A yellow card for K. Merzougui in the 36th minute followed shortly after, adding tension to proceedings.
And here's the thing about this performance - USM Alger were clinical when it mattered. M. Ramdaoui doubled the lead in the 58th minute, putting the result beyond doubt before any late drama could unfold. The hosts had five shots on target compared to their opponents' single attempt, and while JS El Biar landed four shots off target, none troubled the goalkeeper.
Substitutions began flowing from the 46th minute as both managers reshuffled their options. USM Alger brought on I. Cissoko and S. Kermiche at the restart, then made further changes including T. Tahar's replacement in the 63rd minute. JS El Biar made three changes on the hour mark, bringing on G. Likonza, A. Benguit and M. Bouderbala in quick succession.
The statistics tell you what you already knew from watching. USM Alger registered 97 attacks against 68 for their visitors, and while the possession figures show dominance, it was the quality of their chances that separated the teams. The visitors finished with three yellow cards and one red card between them, while the hosts went through without any disciplinary issues.
For USM Alger, this result moves them off zero points and onto the board with one win. JS El Biar remain at the bottom of the table after their opening defeat, with no points to show for their efforts. The gap between them now stands at a point, and neither side has much room for error in what follows.