Impressive start of the season for Bourj FC: a 1-0 win over defending champions Ansar

Sunday, 12 September 2021, 3:30 pm local time (12:30 pm UTC), Amin Abdelnour Stadium, Bhamdoun (Aley), Lebanon, first round, Stage 1, Lebanese Premier League.

Bourj FC detonated the bomb in the first round of the Lebanese Premier League, by winning 1-0 over defending champions and favourites Ansar. The result is however shocking only for those who did not see the match: Bourj FC fully deserved to win, and they showed great determination and involvement, while Ansar were taken by surprise and were unable to find any sort of reply, not even when they had one man up.

Bourj FC starting lineup against Ansar. Source: Bourj FC Facebook page

The first half was quite balanced. Ansar had their first chance early (5') but Bourj FC replied very well and Hassan Mehanna had the opportunity to score on one on one with the goalkeeper Nazih Assaad, but was unable to find the right shot (10'). The two teams continued to have chances, but the surprise was that Bourj FC controlled much of the game and generated more danger than Ansar. Eventually it paid off: Akram Moghrabi crossed from the left, Mootaz Jounaidi missed the ball completely, giving Hassan Mehanna the chance to score from short range, after his initial shot hit the crossbar: 1-0 (43').

 Hassan Mehanna (last to the right) scored the only goal of the match. Source: Bourj FC Facebook page

In the second half, Bourj FC had a more defensive stance, while Ansar naturally pressed for an equalizer, which never came. One of the most remarkable actions took place when Youssef Anbar sent a long ball for Hussein Al Outa, who dared to shoot from long distance, very close to the target (58'). Ansar chances improved after Akram Moghrabi was sent off (71') for a verbal dispute with the referee. Bourj FC resisted heroically until the end of the game and then celebrated their performance.

Bourj FC players and staff celebrating their win at the end of the match. Source: Bourj FC Facebook page

It is interesting to note that last year, in 2020, Bourj FC also played in the first round against defending champions, then Al Ahed. However, they lost 3-2.

Bourj: Abdelkarim Saleh - Mohammad El Dor, Khodor Hallak, Hassan Bitar, Youssef Anbar - Hussein Ibrahim "Saaouk", Mohammad Al Faour, Mohammad Kassem (Ali Kharoubi 65') - Hassan Mehanna (Hussein Al Outa 52'), Akram Moghrabi, Ali Merkabaoui (Ibrahim Abou Hamdan 77'). Manager: Fouad Hijazi.

Ansar: Nazih Assaad - Nassar Nassar, Mootaz Jounaidi (Khaled Ali 57'), Hussein El Dor, Hassan Kaafarani (Fayez Chamsin 76') - Jihad Ayoub, Ali Tneich "Al Sisi" (Youssef Barakat 46'), Youssef El Hajj (Majed Osman 46') - Hassan Maatouk, Mahmoud Kojok, Karim Darwich (Ahmad Hijazi 46'). Manager: Robert Jaspert.

Referee: Ali Reda.

Yellow cards: Ibrahim Abou Hamdan 90'+3' - Youssef El Hajj 15'.

Red card: Akram Moghrabi 71'.

In the next round, Bourj FC will play against Tadamon Sour on the same stadium, while Ansar will face Hekmeh / La Sagesse at Jounieh.