El Amel Tiaret wins Algerian Goalball Championships

"We are proud of this first title in the club's history. It was acquired after pushing hard in a difficult battle against the defending champions Ines Algiers and Wifak Algiers"

The El Amel de Tiaret team have won the 2013 Algerian Goalball Championships, after easily beating reigning champions Ines Algiers, 20-10, during the final day of play-offs on Sunday (26 May) in Algiers.

The second place in the championship went to Wifak Algiers, followed by Ines Algiers, Najm Boukadir, Nasr Tahaddi Blida and Oran.

El Amel de Tiaret won the club’s first title since it was formed in 1996 after a more than respectable season which culminated in the impressive victory against Ines Algiers, the defending champions.

In a one-sided match, team captain Abdelhalim Larbi had no trouble outperforming Algiers led by Ishak Boutaleb. Both players were on the national goalball team, which was knocked out of the competition at the London 2012 Paralympic Games by Turkey in the quarter-finals.

After dominating the first half, 9-2, El Amel Tiaret succeeded in increasing the goal difference to 10, which according to the International Blind Sports Fedeartion (IBSA) rules results in a victory. They succeeded a few minutes from the end of the normal 12-minute halftime.

"We are proud of this first title in the club's history. It was acquired after pushing hard in a difficult battle against the defending champions Ines Algiers and Wifak Algiers," said the coach of El Amel Tiaret, Aissa Soualmi.

The women's competition was dominated by the Dahra Mostaganem club, beating Anwar Setif, Hassiba Ben Bouali d'Oran and Wissal de Bordj Bou Arreridj in the play-offs.

The team qualified for the semi-finals, which are scheduled for next month.

The championships were attended by members of the National Paralympic Committee, including president Rachid Haddad, who congratulated the champions on their success.

“I think the other teams have not fallen, but must continue to work to raise the level and try to be on the podium for the season ahead," he said.