ALGIERS, Algeria (March 18, 2026) (Interstat) — USM Alger opened its Ligue 1 campaign with a 2-0 victory over visiting rival ES Setif on Wednesday at Stade du 5 Juillet 1962.

Substitute Merouane Zerrouki opened the scoring in the ninth minute with a right-footed finish. Defender Hocine Dehiri doubled the lead in the 34th minute with a headed goal. ES Setif’s Omar Boularas received a yellow card in second-half stoppage time.

The result defied a pregame projection of a 1-1 draw by Interstat, which gave USM Alger a 77% probability to win. USM Alger begins the season 1-0-0, while ES Setif starts 0-1-0.