CAF Interclub Player of the Week: Ismail Belkacemi

Ismail Belkacemi has faced both triumph and disappointment before in the TotalEnergies CAF Confederation Cup, but will hope his goals can fire Algerian side USM Alger to the title this year after another stellar performance this past weekend.

The 31-year-old forward took his tally in the competition to four goals with a brace against Cote d’Ivoire side ASEC Mimosas in a comprehensive 3-0 victory that leaves USM top of Group C with seven points.

Belkacemi also got a brace in the 6-0 victory over Orapa United as USM have now scored nine goals in three games and have yet to concede, a dominant set of results.

Belkacemi was part of the MO Béjaïa squad that reached the 2016 TotalEnergies CAF Confederation Cup decider but lost 5-2 on aggregate to a TP Mazembe team in its pomp.

He moved to CS Constantine in 2018, where he played in the TotalEnergies CAF Champions League, and then USM in 2020.

He scored 17 goals in his first season with the latter in 2020/21, before a leaner couple of years. But Belkacemi bounced back with 15 goals in 2023/24 and has started this campaign well with six goals in eight starts in all competitions.

His 14 league goals in 2023/24 earned him the title of top-scorer in Ligue 1.

He also scored against ASEC Mimosas in the semi-finals of the 2022/23 TotalEnergies CAF Confederation Cup as USM took the title, an achievement he will be seeking to repeat this season.

He is a forward in form, and currently leads the scoring charts in the league phase of the competition.