League Play-Off

Branch
Spectators: 34 (Terracing: 26, Seating: 8, VIP seats: 0) Dark clouds were building up when the players entered the field. None of the them looked very eager to play. Ferhat Kaci Said started the match with the kick off. The referee was alert and spotted a serious foul by Hocine Hamdani during the 8th minute. The player immediately received a yellow card. The supporters of Branch AFC booed when Leon FC was adjudged a doubtful freekick after 8 match minutes in a wonderful position. Hocine Hamdani didn't get a good kick on the ball. 0-1 became the score in the 11th minute when Chakib Bensaoula elegantly shot the ball into goal just under the crossbar. Chakib Bensaoula received a nice pass in the box and took a hard shot in the 19th minute. Adlène Harkat tensed up and prepared to dive, but the shot went over the goal with him having to interfere. Chakib Bensaoula sent away a hard shot on goal in the 22nd minute, but the ball went just over the crossbar and out. A very good chance. René Dahleb sent away a hard shot on goal in the 24th minute, but the ball went just over the crossbar and out. A very good chance. Adlène Harkat took care of the ball after a well-directed shot from René Dahleb, even though the ball almost passed him on his left side. The crowd rose to their feet as Branch AFC's Ferhat Kaci Said slotted home a wonderful shot that went in to the left of Hemza Bouteflika. That made the score 1-1 after 27 minutes of play. Hemza Bouteflika was out of position in the 32 minute of play, and Ferhat Kaci Said capitalized on the mistake with a soft shot into the goal. Ferhat Kaci Said really showed his touch with that goal: 2-1. 36 minutes into the match, Leon FC's Chakib Bensaoula sent off a blazing shot straight on target, a shot that Adlène Harkat narrowly saved just below the crossbar. Chakib Bensaoula recieved an excellent pass in front of the goal in the 38th minute. Unfortunately, he received the ball on his off foot and could only manage a weak shot that went over the goal. A hard shot by Karim Al-Jazairia from long distance, 40 minutes into the match, got Hemza Bouteflika's attention. Through a fast twist with his body, he could stop the ball from going in on his right side. Chakib Bensaoula received a nice pass in the box and took a hard shot in the 46th minute. Adlène Harkat tensed up and prepared to dive, but the shot went over the goal with him having to interfere.

Both teams looked relatively alert before the second half when the referee blew his whistle to tell Chakib Bensaoula to make the kick off. In the 51st minute Chakib Bensaoula shot on, it seemed, an open goal, but Adlène Harkat saw the ball coming and threw himself on it before it passed the goal line. After 53 played minutes Branch AFC got a freekick which was hit by Sid Mehenni. After 55 minutes of play, the referee blew the whistle. It was a penalty for Branch AFC! If Chakib Bensaoula had kept his shot down it would have been a goal in the 61st minute. The ball went over the crossbar and out instead. Branch AFC's Adlène Harkat proved his good apprehension of play when he, in the 67th minute of the match, managed to save Branch AFC from getting a goal against them. Chakib Bensaoula received a nice pass in the box and took a hard shot in the 68th minute. Adlène Harkat tensed up and prepared to dive, but the shot went over the goal with him having to interfere. After a defensive mix-up in Leon FC's zone, Tahar Benhabiles stole the ball and had only the goalie to beat. Hemza Bouteflika came out of the goal and Tahar Benhabiles tried to chip the ball over his head. To his dismay, the ball went over the crossbar and out of play. Hemza Bouteflika took care of the ball after a well-directed shot from Tahar Benhabiles, even though the ball almost passed him on his left side. In the 80th minute Tahar Benhabiles shot on, it seemed, an open goal, but Hemza Bouteflika saw the ball coming and threw himself on it before it passed the goal line. Hemza Bouteflika made a wonderful reflex save on a shot from Ferhat Kaci Said in the 85th minute of play. With his leg Adlène Harkat managed to avoid a goal in the 89thth minute, when Leon FC's René Dahleb fired away a shot with a lot of spin towards his right hand side. After 90 played minutes Branch AFC got a freekick which was hit by Sid Mehenni. If René Dahleb had kept his shot down it would have been a goal in the 92nd minute. The ball went over the crossbar and out instead. If Tahar Benhabiles had kept his shot down it would have been a goal in the 98th minute. The ball went over the crossbar and out instead. Neither set of supporters seemed pleased with the draw, but both teams had played equally well today.