ALGIERS, Algeria, Dec 21 – A bus crash in Algeria on Wednesday night killed a player and coach from top-flight side Mouloudia Club El Bayadh, prompting the national football federation (Faf) to postpone all games.
The country’s state news agency said goalkeeper Zakaria Bouziani, 27, and assistant coach Khalid Muftah had died in the accident.
The club were travelling north to Tizi Ouzou to face JS Kabylie in a league game on Friday when the bus carrying the squad overturned near the city of Tiaret in north-west Algeria, according to local media.
Algerian President Abdelmadjid Tebboune said in a statement that he received the news of the tragedy with “great pain and sorrow”, offering his condolences to the families of the victims.
The club said on social media that other injured members of the team were in a stable condition.
“Following the tragic accident which left the club and family of MC El Bayadh in mourning, the Algerian Football Federation has decided to suspend all football events planned this weekend,” a statement on the Faf website said.
Faf has also delayed the draw for the next two rounds of the Algerian Cup, which was scheduled to be held on 26 December.
El Bayadh are sixth in Algeria’s Ligue 1 table with 15 points from 10 games, 12 adrift of runaway leaders MC Alger.
Bouziani had made two league appearances this season.
