BLIDA (Interstat) — USM Blida defeated visiting WA Mostaganem 1-0 on Friday at Stade Frères Brakni, with Abdelouahab Merri scoring the only goal in the 55th minute. USM Blida, the home team, protected the lead and finished with a clean sheet. USM Blida improved to 6 wins, 0 losses and 2 draws in this competition and across all competitions. WA Mostaganem moved to 1 win, 3 losses and 3 draws in this competition and across all competitions. The game took place at Stade Frères Brakni in Blida, Algeria.

The first half ended scoreless before Merri broke through for USM Blida in the 55th minute. Merri recorded one goal in 90 minutes, and his finish proved to be the difference. WA Mostaganem could not produce an equalizer after falling behind. USM Blida held the one-goal advantage through the remainder of the match and kept the visitors off the scoreboard. WA Mostaganem finished with zero goals, while USM Blida finished with one.

USM Blida’s season began with a win at Mostaganem, followed by a home win over Sidi M’hamed, a draw at GC Mascara, a home win over Kolea, a road win at Tlemcen, a home win over Hussein Dey and a draw at Saida. The club has remained unbeaten in this competition and across all competitions. Its record in this competition is 6 wins, 0 losses and 2 draws, and its record across all competitions is the same.

WA Mostaganem’s season included a loss at ASM Oran, a home win over JSM Tiaret, a draw at Taghit, a home draw with RC Kouba, a loss at Arba and a home draw with Mostaganem. The visiting side has one win, three losses and three draws in this competition. Its record across all competitions is also 1 win, 3 losses and 3 draws. WA Mostaganem’s previous results this season, in reverse date order, ended with a scoreless draw at home against Mostaganem, a loss at Arba and a scoreless home draw against RC Kouba.

USM Blida’s previous results this season, in reverse date order, began with a scoreless draw at Saida, followed by a home win over Hussein Dey, a road win at Tlemcen, a home win over Kolea, a draw at GC Mascara and a home win over Sidi M’hamed. The club also won at Mostaganem earlier in the season. Those results left USM Blida with six wins, no losses and two draws in this competition.

The match remained a one-goal game after Merri’s 55th-minute strike. USM Blida’s clean sheet preserved the result, while WA Mostaganem finished with zero goals. The home side’s unbeaten record in the competition continued, and the visitors’ record remained at one win. The result was decided by Merri’s goal and USM Blida’s defense. USM Blida’s defense kept WA Mostaganem from scoring, and the home side’s one-goal lead stood for the rest of the match. WA Mostaganem’s total remained at zero goals, while USM Blida’s total remained at one. USM Blida’s season record in this competition is now 6 wins, 0 losses and 2 draws. Its season record across all competitions is also 6 wins, 0 losses and 2 draws. WA Mostaganem’s season record in this competition is now 1 win, 3 losses and 3 draws. Its season record across all competitions is also 1 win, 3 losses and 3 draws.

Interstat’s game simulator had projected a final score of USM Blida 1, WA Mostaganem 1. Interstat’s ELO system had projected WA Mostaganem with a 50.9 percent probability to win. USM Blida had been installed as a pregame favorite with a spread of -1.5. The total score of 1 went over the over/under line of 2.5.