SOUR EL-GHOZLANE, Algeria (Interstat) — In a stunning opening-week upset, visiting Hamra Annaba defied pregame projections to defeat Sour El-Ghozlane 2-1 in an Algerian Ligue 2 match on Tuesday at Al Awwal Park Stadium.

The contest, which kicked off the domestic second-tier season, was largely controlled by the home side according to statistical models, but was ultimately decided by the impactful contributions of high-profile substitutes.

Interstat’s game simulator had projected a final score of 1-0 in favor of Sour El-Ghozlane, with its ELO system giving the home team a 71.10 percent probability of victory. Hamra Annaba’s comeback win on the road immediately inverts those expectations as the new campaign begins.

The match began at a frantic pace, with both sides earning early cautions. Hamra Annaba’s Fabinho was shown a yellow card in the 10th minute, followed by a booking for Sour El-Ghozlane’s Abdullah Al Khaibari just four minutes later.

Against the early run of play, it was the home side that struck first. In the 15th minute, veteran striker Karim Benzema, entering the match as a substitute, found the net to give Sour El-Ghozlane an early 1-0 lead.

The visitors from Annaba responded with relentless pressure and were rewarded at the half-hour mark. Forward Ângelo leveled the score with a well-taken goal, sending the teams into halftime deadlocked at 1-1.

The match grew increasingly tense as the first half drew to a close. In the 38th minute, yellow cards were issued to both teams, with Mohamed Simakan of Hamra Annaba and Sour El-Ghozlane’s Houssem Aouar both entering the referee’s book.

The momentum swung decisively in stoppage time of the first period. Just before the whistle, Hamra Annaba’s Aouar, who had also been introduced as a substitute, completed the turnaround by scoring a crucial goal to give his team a 2-1 lead heading into the break. Aouar’s goal, assisted by defender Mohamed Simakan, capped a remarkable first-half performance from the visitors.

The second half was marked by a single, game-altering incident. In the 49th minute, Sour El-Ghozlane’s Ahmed Al Julaydan was shown a straight red card, forcing the home team to play the remainder of the match with only 10 men.

Despite a man advantage for over 40 minutes, Hamra Annaba could not add to their tally, but their organized defense successfully protected the narrow lead to secure all three points on the road.

The victory was powered by the substitute duo of Aouar and Benzema, who each recorded a goal and an assist, though for opposing sides. For the winners, Aouar’s one-goal, one-assist performance off the bench proved to be the difference-maker. For Sour El-Ghozlane, Benzema’s early goal and a subsequent assist on Ângelo’s equalizer were not enough to avert defeat.

With the result, Hamra Annaba begins its Ligue 2 season with a record of one win and zero losses, while Sour El-Ghozlane starts with zero wins and one loss. The records are identical across all competitions for both clubs. The win provides a massive early-season boost for Hamra Annaba, which overcame significant odds to secure a vital away victory.