Rulani Mokwena’s MC Alger dropped points away at JS Kabylie on Friday but remain as Algerian Ligue 1 leaders.
It was a match MC Alger finished with 10 men following a red card to Mohamed Bangoura in the 64th minute. The Guinea international had broken the deadlock three minutes earlier when he thrust the visitors ahead.
But with eight minutes remaining, JS Kabylie hit back from the penalty spot through Mohamed Madani. Despite dropping two points, MC Alger are still at the top of the log.
They are nine points clear at the summit, having played a game less than second-placed USM Alger. Mokwena’s side has lost just once in 13 league games this season.
Mokwena remain on course to help MC Alger defend the Ligue 1 title in his first season at the club. The other defeat he has suffered is in the CAF Champions League when they were edged 2-1 away at Al Hilal Omdurman.
Their hosts on Friday, JS Kabylie, are a distant 10th on the standings with 13 points fewer than the log leaders.
A CLASH BETWEEN MOKWENA AND HIS FORMER BOSS ZINNBAUER
Mokwena was coming up against his former Orlando Pirates colleague Josef Zinnbauer who has been with JS Kabylie since January 2025. That makes the German more familiar with Algerian football than Mokwena.
But the ex-Mamelodi Sundowns coach came out the best from this contest, even when they had to play with one man down for the better part of the second half. Mokwena was Zinnbauer’s assistant coach at the Buccaneers for 10 games between December 2019 and March 2020.
But the two appeared to have a fractious relationship, leading to the MC Alger coach’s departure to Chippa United just before the COVID-19 lockdown. Zinnbauer’s appointment came 14 games into Mokwena’s time as Pirates caretaker coach after Milutin Sredojevic had left the Buccaneers.
The two have now met in Algeria on opposite sides.
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