BÉCHAR, Algeria (Interstat) — Host Saoura opened its Ligue 1 season with a commanding 2-0 victory over MC Oran on Friday, March 13, 2026, at Stade du 20 Août 1955, defying a pregame projection of a draw with a late insurance goal in stoppage time.

The match, a one-sided affair from the early stages, saw Saoura control possession and create the majority of dangerous chances. The home side’s dominance was rewarded in the 33rd minute when forward Anas Yusuf broke the deadlock. Yusuf finished a precise attacking move, slotting the ball home to give Saoura a lead it would not relinquish.

MC Oran, the visiting side, struggled to mount a consistent offensive threat throughout the match. Their frustrations boiled over just three minutes after conceding the opener, as substitute Omar Embarek was shown a yellow card in the 36th minute. The caution was emblematic of a disjointed performance from Oran, which failed to register a goal and now holds a record of 0 wins and 1 loss to start the league campaign.

Saoura, meanwhile, managed the game effectively, protecting its one-goal advantage through the second half while searching for a clinching score. It arrived deep into added time, in the 90+7 minute, when Oussama Bentaleb sealed the victory. Bentaleb’s right-footed finish, assisted by the earlier substitute Embarek, who recorded a helper on the play, provided the final margin and sent the home supporters into celebration.

The result solidifies a positive start for Saoura, which begins its season with a 1-0-0 record, while handing MC Oran an initial defeat. The outcome also ran counter to the pregame simulation by Interstat, which had projected a 1-1 draw. The same analytics system gave Saoura a 70.10 percent probability to win outright, a forecast the home side fulfilled with its clean-sheet performance.

Key individual performances underscored Saoura’s success. Anas Yusuf, with his early goal, provided the crucial breakthrough, while substitute Omar Embarek, despite his yellow card, contributed a valuable assist on the late goal that removed any doubt about the result. The Saoura defense was organized throughout, neutralizing MC Oran’s attack to secure the shutout.

The match sets an early tone in the Algerian top flight, with Saoura immediately claiming three points at home. MC Oran will look to regroup after a season-opening performance that yielded little in attack and left them empty-handed. Both teams’ records across all competitions now mirror their league starts, with Saoura at 1 win and 0 losses and MC Oran at 0 wins and 1 loss.