A serious traffic accident has resulted in the death of a top-flight African team's coach and goalkeeper, with football in the country being suspended as a result.
On Wednesday, Algerian Ligue Professionnelle 1 side Mouloudia Club El Bayadh suffered the loss of two of its members who were on board the bus that overturned while on the way to Tizi Ouzou for a league match against JS Kabylie that was scheduled to be played on Friday.
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Goalkeeper Zakaria Bouziani, who was 27 years old, and assistant coach Khalid Muftah lost their lives in the accident, the Algerian Football Federation (FAF) confirmed in a statement.
Per reports from Algeria, after the crash, squad members were taken to hospital, with most of the team in stable condition but left feeling anxious following the incident.
As a result of the tragedy, the federation has made the decision to suspend all footballing activities not only in the country's top division, but "throughout the national territory and at the level of all divisions and categories combined" until further notice.
"In this painful circumstance, the President of the Algerian Football Federation, the members of the Federal Office and the entire national football family present to the Mouloudia d'El Bayadh club, to the families and loved ones of the victims their most sincere condolences and assure them of their deep sympathy," a statement from the FAF read.
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El Bayadh currently occupy sixth place on the league table with 15 points after 10 matches, with their most recent result being a 1-1 draw with USM Alger.
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