Broke USM Alger could miss Gor clash
What you need to know:
- USM Alger slipped into financial trouble in June after the club owner and Algeria top businessman Ali Haddad, a key supporter of ousted president Abdelaziz Boutefika was jailed for months on Monday for holding two passports, in the first conviction in a string of corruption probes.
- The business tycoon was reportedly arrested in late March on the border with Tunisia in possession of two passports and undeclared currency, days before Bouteflika resigned in the face of mass protests.
Cash-strapped USM Alger is on the verge of pulling out of this season Caf Champions League, a decision that will hand Kenya's Gor Mahia direct passage to the lucrative group stage of the competition.
Speaking on Tuesday, the Algerian club's secretary, Mounir Debichi explained there 'has to be an immediate solution' to salvage the team.
He said: "Today we qualified for the second round of the Champions League but we are unable to travel to Kenya to play against Gor Mahia. We can (afford) to play the first game here. However, it is impossible to travel to Kenya for the second match given our financial difficulties. There has to be immediate solutions or else we forget about the competition
The North African club defeated Niger's SONIDEEP in the preliminaries of this competition with a 5-2 aggregate score and are slated to host the Kenyan champions in Algiers on the weekend of September 13-15, with the return leg slated for Nairobi two weeks later.
The winning team over two legs is assured at least Sh56 million in prize money from the tournament organisers.
USM Alger slipped into financial trouble in June after the club owner and Algeria top businessman Ali Haddad, a key supporter of ousted president Abdelaziz Boutefika was jailed for months on Monday for holding two passports, in the first conviction in a string of corruption probes.
The business tycoon was reportedly arrested in late March on the border with Tunisia in possession of two passports and undeclared currency, days before Bouteflika resigned in the face of mass protests.
