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USM Khenchela

USM Khenchela
Full nameUnion sportive de la Médina Khenchela
Nickname(s)Lions des Aurés - Ciskaoua - Les bagnards
FoundedJuly 28, 1943; 81 years ago (1943-07-28) (as Union sportive de la Médina Khenchela)
GroundAmar Hamam Stadium
Capacity8,000
PresidentWalid Boukrouma
Head CoachHatem Missaoui[1]
LeagueLigue 1
2023–24Ligue 1, 10th of 16
Current season

Union Sportive de la Médina Khenchela (Arabic: الإتحاد الرياضي لمدينة خنشلة), known as USM Khenchela or simply USMK, is an Algerian professional football club based in Khenchela. The club was founded in 1943 and its colours are white and black. Their home stadium, Amar Hamam Stadium, has a capacity of 8,000 spectators. The club is currently playing in the Algerian Ligue Professionnelle 1.

History

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In 1970–71 Algerian Cup semi-finals in Khenchela against USM Alger who was not welcomed because of a word used by their supporters which is that Khenchela is “Shawiya” a term that has been misinterpreted and they prepared a hostile reception, and the match lasted four hours due to the storming to the stadium several times by the supporters.[2] After the end of the match USM Alger players who were accompanied by a handful of fans, remained locked in the dressing rooms until midnight and after the intervention of a Gendarmerie brigade sent from Batna, then the Algerian Football Federation at that time punished the two clubs by playing 50 kilometers away from its stadium for one year.[2] Khenchela saw the birth of another club that became known thanks to its good performances during the 1990s, at a time when USM Khenchela was struggling in the lower divisions, Ittihad Riadhi Baladiat Khenchela. created in 1985, Subsequently, the authorities decided to merge these two clubs into one, but the project fell through and a few years later IRBK ended up disappearing from the football scene after 28 years of existence.[3][4]

The club was promoted for the 2010–11 season of the newly created Championnat National de Football Amateur due to the professionalisation of the first two divisions in Algeria.[5]

On August 5, 2020, USM Khenchela were promoted to the Algerian Ligue 2.[6]

Promotion to Ligue 1 for the first time

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On May 21, 2022, USM Khenchela were promoted to the Algerian Ligue Professionnelle 1 returns to the national elite that it left almost 50 years ago. The Ciskaoua will thus once again taste the sensations of the Ligue 1 where they had played for two seasons at the beginning of the 1970s.[7] On February 2, 2023, an agreement was signed between Groupe Cosider and USM Khenchela, Under this agreement which covers a renewable year, the club will benefit from financial support during the 2022–23 sports season. This agreement initialed in the presence of the Wali of Khenchela, aims underlined the CEO of Cosider to support the evolution of the club through a sponsorship formula, under which Groupe Cosider will financially support all of the activities of USM Khenchela.[8]

During the visit of the President of the Republic Abdelmadjid Tebboune on May 31, 2024, to Khenchela, he promised the leaders and fans of USM Khenchela to find a lessor capable of taking charge of L'USMK.[9] The Algerian public telecommunications company Algérie Télécom, will apparently be the new owner of USM Khenchela, according to a post published on the club's official page. The club's president, Walid Boukrouma, said that "preliminary discussions addressing the aspects of the transfer of ownership of the club to this national company have already been initiated with its CEO, stressing that the realization of this acquisition will not happen overnight. It will take a few months to finalize all the necessary administrative procedures.[10]

On August 1, 2024, Algérie Télécom and Union Sportive de la Médina Khenchela have signed a partnership agreement, making Algérie Télécom the official sponsor.[11] The signing ceremony took place at the headquarters of the General Directorate of Algérie Télécom in Algiers, in the presence of the Chairman and CEO of Algérie Télécom and the President of USM Khenchela Walid Boukrouma.[11] Knowing that Algérie Télécom has started procedures to buy the club, this partnership is part of a global approach aimed at supporting the club in the development and strengthening of its capacities for the 2024–25 season.[11]

Players

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Algerian teams are limited to three foreign players. The squad list includes only the principal nationality of each player;

Current squad

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As of 5 February 2024[12][13] Note: Flags indicate national team as defined under FIFA eligibility rules; some limited exceptions apply. Players may hold more than one non-FIFA nationality.

No. Pos. Nation Player
1 GK Algeria ALG Oussama Filali
5 DF Algeria ALG Nabil Saâdou
6 DF Algeria ALG Hocine Laribi
7 FW Algeria ALG Chouaib Debbih
8 MF Algeria ALG Abdelhakim Sameur (captain)
9 FW Algeria ALG Ilyes Yaiche
10 MF Algeria ALG Mohamed Yassine Athmani
11 MF Algeria ALG Hacène Ogbi
12 DF Algeria ALG Oussama Kaddour
13 FW Algeria ALG Mohamed Amine Semahi
14 FW Mali MLI Diadié Samadiaré
No. Pos. Nation Player
16 GK Algeria ALG Sofiane Khedairia
17 FW Algeria ALG Karim Sabouni
18 MF Algeria ALG Ahmed Gagaâ
20 FW Nigeria NGA Tosin Omoyele
21 DF Algeria ALG Hamza Rebai
22 DF Algeria ALG Mohamed Guemroud
24 MF Mali MLI Moussa Coulibaly
25 DF Algeria ALG Abdelhafid Hoggas
26 DF Algeria ALG Abdellah Meddah
27 MF Algeria ALG Sid Ali Lamri

Personnel

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Current technical staff

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Position Staff
Head coach Hatem Missaoui
Assistant coach
Goalkeeping coach
Fitness coach

Statistics

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Recent seasons

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Season League Cup Other Africa Top goalscorer(s)[note 1] Ref.
Division Pos Pts P W D L GF GA Name Goals
1962–63 Critérium d'Honneur 2nd 42 18 10 4 4 Unknown
1963–64 Division d'Honneur 3rd 14 Round of 16
1964–65 Division d'Honneur 11th 26 Round of 32
1965–66 Division d'Honneur 7th 30 Round of 32
1966–67 Division d'Honneur Unknown
1967–68 Division d'Honneur 1st Unknown
1968–69 Nationale II 6th 42 22 6 8 8 25 29 Round of 64
1969–70 Nationale II 6th 44 22 7 8 7 27 27 Round of 32
1970–71 Nationale II 3rd 51 24 10 7 7 24 20 Semi-finals
1971–72 Nationale II Unknown
1972–73 National II 3rd 60 26 14 6 6 44 20 Unknown
1973–74 National II 1st 51 22 15 6 1 35 11 Unknown
1974–75 Nationale I 11th 57 30 11 5 14 24 40 Round of 64
1975–76 Nationale I 14th 47 30 4 9 17 28 53 Round of 16
1976–77 Nationale II 2nd 26 Round of 16
1977–78 Division 2 2nd 26 Unknown
1978–79 National II 2nd 26 Unknown
1979–80 National II 9th 43 22 5 11 6 18 21 Round of 32
2009–10 Inter-régions 5th 49 30 14 7 9 39 28 Round of 16
2010–11 DNA 12th 23 26 5 8 13 18 33 Last regional round
2011–12 DNA 3rd 44 26 13 5 8 32 28 Penultimate
Regional Round
2012–13 DNA 8th 37 26 10 7 9 28 28 Unknown
2013–14 DNA 7th 40 30 12 4 14 35 44 Last regional round
2014–15 DNA 10th 36 30 8 12 10 23 26 Last regional round
2015–16 DNA 9th 37 30 10 7 13 33 40 Penultimate
Regional Round
2016–17 DNA 6th 39 30 10 9 11 39 37 Round of 32
2017–18 DNA 2nd 50 30 14 8 8 36 25 Round of 64
2018–19 DNA 2nd 62 30 15 8 4 38 20 Round of 32
2019–20 DNA[note 2] 6th 36 24 9 9 6 28 19 Round of 64
2020–21 Ligue 2 4th 38 22 10 8 4 26 19 Not played
2021–22 Ligue 2 1st 67 30 19 10 1 60 22 Not played Sofiane Bayazid 16
2022–23 Ligue 1 8th 42 30 12 6 12 29 29 Round of 16 Sofiane Bayazid 14 [16]
2023–24 Ligue 1 10th 39 30 11 6 13 33 39 Round of 16 Tosin Omoyele 10 [17]

Notes

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  1. ^ Goals in all competitions (Algerian Ligue Professionnelle 1, Algerian Cup, League Cup, African and Super Cup) are counted.
  2. ^ On March 15, 2020, the Ministry of Youth and Sports decided to stop the season due to the COVID-19 pandemic in Algeria, Then it was canceled with the rise of the first eight teams to the Ligue 2 and the relegation was cancelled.[14][15]

References

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  1. ^ "Un coach arrive à l'USM Khenchela". Planete Sport. 4 August 2024. Retrieved 5 August 2024.
  2. ^ a b "mca- usma 1971 : une première historique pour le mouloudia !". algerie360.com. 28 April 2013. Retrieved 7 August 2021.
  3. ^ "اتحاد بلدية خنشلة ينسحب بعد 28 سنة من النشاط". Djazairess. 12 September 2010. Retrieved 8 August 2024.
  4. ^ "FUSION ENTRE L'USMK ET L'IRBK Le niet des supporters". Le Soir d'Algerie. August 7, 2006. Retrieved August 8, 2024.
  5. ^ "Amateurs : Les 2 groupes du Championnat national -DZFOOT.COM". Archived from the original on 2013-10-29. Retrieved 2013-10-24.
  6. ^ "Saison 2019/2020 : Les clubs de Division Nationale Amateurs promus en Ligue 2". 5 August 2020.
  7. ^ "Accession en Ligue 1: historique pour le MC El Bayadh, l'USM Khenchela retrouve l'élite". APS. February 2, 2023. Retrieved January 8, 2024.
  8. ^ "Foot/Ligue 1: signature d'une convention entre le groupe Cosider et l'USM Khenhela". APS. February 2, 2023. Retrieved January 8, 2024.
  9. ^ "Mémorable visite du Président de la République à Khenchela : Bain de foule et grandes annonces". El Moudjahid. 31 May 2024. Retrieved 2 August 2024.
  10. ^ "USM Khenchela : Algérie télécom sera le nouveau propriétaire". El Moudjahid. 20 July 2024. Retrieved 2 August 2024.
  11. ^ a b c "Ligue 1 Mobilis de football : Algérie Télécom sponsor officiel de l'USM Khenchela". Radio algérienne. 1 August 2024. Retrieved 2 August 2024.
  12. ^ "FICHE DU CLUB: USM KHENCHLA".
  13. ^ "Joueurs du USM KHENCHLA".
  14. ^ "الجزائر تعلن إيقاف النشاط الرياضي بسبب كورونا". btolat.com. 15 March 2020. Retrieved 12 March 2022.
  15. ^ "COVID-19 : ARRET DES COMPETITIONS JUSQU'A NOUVEL ORDRE". faf.dz. 15 March 2020. Retrieved 12 March 2022.
  16. ^ "Statistics 2022–23 USM Khenchela season". footballdatabase.eu.
  17. ^ "Statistics 2023–24 USM Khenchela season". footballdatabase.eu.
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