Algerian league striker dies after head injury from thrown object

The leading scorer in last year’s Algerian league has died after an object thrown from the stands hit him in the head.

The CAF confirmed that 24-year-old striker Albert Ebosse of JS Kabylie died at the hospital after he was struck in the waning moments of a match with USM Alger.

Kabylie had lost the match 2-1, but Ebosse was the man to pick up their goal.  He was hit with the object towards the end of the game.

The club confirmed a police investigation would take place, and CAF president Issa Hayatou said “exemplary sanctions to be taken against this grave act of violence.” Hayatou added that they will take action because “African football cannot be the breeding ground for hooliganism whatsoever.”

The identity of the object was not officially released, but a story on the JS Kabylie team website suggests that a “shower of stones” from home fans came down on the opening of the player tunnel following the match, and that Ebosse was not specifically targeted.

Ebosse had previously played in Malaysia as well as his home country of Cameroon. He led the Algerian league last year with 19 goals, and had two in two matches to open the new campaign.

According to the team website, hundreds of supporters have gathered at the stadium to pay their respects,

The problem of objects thrown from stands is nothing new, but it rarely has this type of result. The most recent similar situation occurred when a teenage fan of Corinthians was killed by a flare during the celebration of a goal.