A player died of a head injury after being hit by a rock apparently thrown by his own fans at a top-flight league game in Algeria and a police investigation will be opened into his death, the Confederation of African Football and the player's club said on Sunday.

Albert Ebosse, a striker from Cameroon, died in hospital on Saturday night after being hit as players left the field following a 2-1 loss for his club, JS Kabylie. Ebosse had scored his side's equalizer from a penalty in the game before it went on to lose 2-1 at home to USM Alger in the northern city of Tizi Ouzou.

The 24-year-old Ebosse, the leading goalscorer in the Algerian league last season, was apparently hit by a rock hurled from a section of JS Kabylie supporters angry at their team's loss. He was taken to a hospital about 500 meters away from the stadium, where he died.