Bourj FC and Al Ahed drew 1-1 in Lebanese derby

Bourj FC - Al Ahed 1-1 (1-0) 

Hussein Al Outa 31' - Mohammad Jalal Kdouh 52'.

Saturday, 25 September 2021, 3:30 pm local time (12:30 UTC), Amin Abdelnour Stadium, Bhamdoun (Aley), Lebanon, 3rd round of the Lebanese Premier League.

Bourj FC starting lineup against Al Ahed, for the first time in grey shirts. Source: Bourj FC Facebook page

Former champions Al Ahed started the match as big favourites, especially because they were eliminated from the AFC Cup just a few days ago at the hand of the Bahraini team Muharraq, and they badly needed a good result to resurrect their image in front of their fans and the football public. However, the usual friendly relations between the two clubs were left outside the pitch, and Bourj FC proved to be a very tough team to beat. They are in fact unbeaten after three rounds, although they have already played against defending champions Ansar and former champions Al Ahed!

The match was clearly dominated by Al Ahed, and they exerted a very high pressure on their opponents. Al Ahed players missed several good chances to take the lead, while Bourj have rarely crossed the half line. Nevertheless, it was Bourj which scored first: Youssef Anbar had a wonderful run on the left, he crossed perfectly for Hussein Al Outa, who headed in from close range: 1-0 (31').

Hussein Al Outa (last to the right) is congratulated by his teammates for the goal. Source: Bourj FC Facebook page.

After the goal, Al Ahed resumed their attacks, but Bourj FC players defended ferociously their slim advantage. It was only in the beginning of the second half when Al Ahed succeeded to score the equalizer, from a rather unusual situation: Mohammad Haidar passed to Mohammad Jamal Kdouh, who crossed from the right, the ball took a strange trajectory and landed in the upper corner of the goal, to Abdelkarim Saleh's surprise: 1-1 (52').

Ali Kharroubi (left) challenges former Bourj player Zein Farran (in yellow), assisted by Youssef Anbar (#77). Source: Bourj FC Facebook page

Afterwards, all Al Ahed's efforts to score a winner were blocked by a very determined Bourj defense, led by the goalkeeper Abdelkarim Saleh, who made some crucial saves.

Bourj FC: Abdelkarim Saleh - Mohammad El Dor, Khodor Hallak, Hassan Abdallah Bitar, Youssef Anbar - Ali Kharroubi, Hussein Ibrahim "Saaouk" (Mohammad Al Faour 59'), Abbas Ali Atwi "Onika" (Mohammad Kassem 59') - Hassan Mehanna (Abou Baker Al Mel 85'), Akram Moghrabi (Ibrahim Abou Hamdan 78'), Hussein Al Outa (Ali Merkabaoui 59'). Manager: Fouad Hijazi.

Al Ahed: Mostafa Matar - Hussein Zein (Ali Hadid 85'), Haytham Faour, Hamza Kheir, Hussein Dakik - Hassan Srour (Habib Choueikh 58'), Hussein Monzer, Mohammad Haidar - Mohammad Jalal Kdouh, Hussein Haidar, Zein Farran (Mohammad Nasser 46'). Manager: Bojan Trkulja.

Referee: Hussein Abou Yahya.

Yellow cards: Hussein Dakik 34', Hussein Haidar 70'.

Bourj FC are now third, with 5 points, below leaders Shabab Sahel (7 points) and Hikma / Sagesse (6 points). Al Ahed have 4 points but also a game in hand, to be played next Thursday against Shabab El Bourj.

Except for this match, the Lebanese League takes a break caused by the matches of the national team, and it will resume in mid-October. The next league match for Bourj is scheduled on Sunday, 17 October, against Lebanese giants Nejmeh.