NC Magra Roars to First Victory, Topples HB Chelghoum Laïd 3-1 to Ignite Hope in Ligue 2 Survival Race
The shrill whistle at Boucheligue Brothers Stadium on Friday afternoon signaled far more than the end of a match—it marked a hard-won turning point for NC Magra, whose 3-1 triumph over HB Chelghoum Laïd delivered both catharsis and clarity after weeks spent struggling at the Ligue 2 basement.
Coming into October 17, NC Magra’s season had been defined by frustration: four games without a win, just a single point, and a defense that had leaked seven goals in the last three outings. The weight of expectation pressed on coach Said Belkheir’s side, their last home effort ending in a dispiriting 0-1 defeat to US Chaouia. Staring up from 14th place with the gaping void of the relegation zone threatening to swallow them whole, Magra’s resolve was set for its sternest test yet.
Across the pitch, HB Chelghoum Laïd entered on an erratic arc: their own season punctuated by a rare win—a high-octane 3-2 against Nrb Beni Oulbene—yet undermined by three losses in their last four, all by emphatic margins. Both sides, then, arrived not so much poised for fireworks, but clinging to the urgency of redemption.
From the opening minutes, NC Magra broadcast an intent notably sharper than in weeks prior. The midfield pair, energized by home support and necessity, controlled much of the early possession, threading passes that hinted at a newfound verve. And in the 18th minute, their pressure paid off: striker Abdelkader Haddad pounced on a defensive lapse, driving home a low finish past Chelghoum goalkeeper Sofiane Bouzid. For Haddad, a forward who had spent recent matches toiling in isolation, the goal was a release—a moment of justification after weeks spent chasing shadows.
Chelghoum Laïd responded with urgency. Their wingers, notably Hamza Berradja, probed down the flanks and forced a corner in the 31st minute. Magra’s back line, so often porous, held firm, with center-back Zakaria Bouchama clearing twice under duress. The match’s rhythm threatened to shift, and on 38 minutes, HB Chelghoum Laïd finally struck back—midfielder Redouane Benhamou volleying from the edge of the box to level the score 1-1, silencing the home contingent and restoring parity.
But where past Magra squads might have wilted, this afternoon’s team gathered themselves with surprising resolve. The second half began with an uptick in tempo and ferocity. Within eight minutes of the restart, defensive midfielder Yacine Ghezal surged forward, collecting a layoff and sending a searing shot into the top corner. The stadium erupted—2-1, Magra, and suddenly, the narrative felt altered, urgency transformed into belief.
As Chelghoum Laïd pressed for a second equalizer, their shape grew ragged. In the 71st minute, their frustration boiled over: defender Ismail Haddouche drew a yellow for dissent, and just four minutes later, a rash tackle on Magra’s creative hub, Farid Boukhelifa, saw Haddouche receive a second caution and an early exit. Reduced to ten men, Chelghoum’s hopes ebbed.
Magra seized their advantage with cool professionalism. In the closing minutes, substitute winger Soufiane Hamsi delivered the coup de grâce: breaking along the right, he cut inside and curled a left-footed finish beyond Bouzid for 3-1. The goal ignited celebrations that spilled over the touchline, players and staff alike sensing the import far beyond three points.
For a side whose last five games yielded just a single draw and four defeats, Magra’s win is more than a statistical blip—it is an answer to the doubts that have swirled around their season. Suddenly, the standings show a revived squad: NC Magra climbs to four points after five matches, a foothold gained in the marathon climb away from 14th place and relegation fears.
HB Chelghoum Laïd, meanwhile, are left to grapple with old questions. The brief spark of their recent win against Nrb Beni Oulbene fades in the harsh light of another road defeat and a troubled defensive record. Their campaign, a blend of ambition and vulnerability exposed in vivid terms, demands swift course correction—especially with disciplinary issues compounding their tactical woes.
Looking ahead, Magra’s next fixtures will test the substance of today’s breakthrough. The confidence garnered on home turf must travel, as hosts MSP Batna and USM Annaba lie in wait—each a reminder that Ligue 2 offers no respite. For Chelghoum Laïd, the challenge is to rediscover cohesion and discipline before their own chase for security spirals further out of reach.
But for one blustery afternoon at Boucheligue Brothers, all doubts were set aside. NC Magra—a team battered but unbowed—stood tall, their 3-1 victory a statement both for themselves and for a league season just beginning to take shape.