JS Kabylie’s scoring woes continued as they were held to a 0-0 draw stalemate by Raja Casablanca in a CAF Champions League group D match at Stade du 1er Novembre 1954, Tizi Ouzou on Friday night.
The Algerian side started positively with the first shot on goal in the third minute, but Hamza Banouh saw his powerful 22-yard effort go inches wide of the target.
The home side controlled the flow of play, but they just seemed unable to find the right pass in the final third to open up the Raja defence.
Still, regardless of not seeing much of the ball, the Green Eagles outfit had the next attempt on goal in the 15th minute when Omar Arjoune broke into the box, but his low 16-yard shot shaved the wrong side of the post.
Ten minutes later, Kabylie managed their second effort on goal when Malik Raiah met a corner-kick at the front post, but his volley from an acute angle ten-yards out struck the side-netting.
The Green Eagles continued to push forward after that, but lacked the killer instinct in front of goal and went into the half time break locked at 0-0.
Kabylie almost took the lead in the early stages of the second stanza when fired in a long-range shot, but Raja goalkeeper Anas Zniti pulled off a one-handed save to tip the ball over for a corner.
The resulting corner almost produced a goal but Zniti was alert enough to block Amir Belaili’s header; the ball bounced around the box a few times before Toufik Addadi cleared the danger.
Raja almost scored when Congolese striker Ben Malango latched onto a brilliant long pass from Habti, but his shot struck the upright with Oussama Benbot well-beaten.
Kabylie seemed to lose their tempo after the hour mark, while Raja continued to grow in confidence.
Omar Arjoune should’ve opened the scoring in the 70th minute when he attacked in the box from the right – he took a powerful shot that struck Benbot in the face when a deft chip would’ve been the better option.
Fabrice Ngoma’s first chance came in the 76th minute but his looped header sailed past the top corner.
With Raja keeping all players behind the ball, it was very difficult for Kabylie to feed Hamroune and Banouh, and in the end, a goalless draw was a fair result.
How they lined up
JS Kabylie Starting XI: Oussama Benbot (GK) ,Amir Belaili ,Nabil Saadou (C),Badr Eddine Souyad ,Walid Bencherifa ,Abdessamad Bounoua ,Malik Raiah ,Toufik Addadi ,Rida Bensayah ,Rezki Hamroune ,Hamza Banouh
Raja Casablanca Starting XI: Anas Zniti (GK) ,Mohamed Douik ,Sanad Al Warfali ,Abderrahim Achchakir ,Abdeljalil Jbira ,Zakaria Habti ,Fabrice Luamba Ngoma ,Mouhcine Moutouali ,Omar Arjoune ,Zakaria El Wardi ,Ben Malango Ngita
