Bourj FC - Nejmeh 0-0
Saturday, 3 February 2024, 4 pm local time (2 pm UTC), Fouad Chehab Stadium, Jounieh, Lebanon, 1st round of the championship play-off, Lebanese Premier League.
Bourj FC starting line-up. Photo source: Lebanese FA Facebook page
Nejmeh starting line-up. Photo source: Lebanese FA Facebook page
The two team captains and the referees before the start of the game. Photo source: Lebanese FA Facebook page
After more than one month of break due to the Christmas holidays, the New Year and the participation of the Lebanese national team to the Asian Cup, the Lebanese League resumed with the first round of matches in the play-off and in the play-out. Regular season leaders Nejmeh took on third place Bourj FC, theoretically on Bourj FC home ground, and practically at Fouad Chehab Stadium in Jounieh, which may be considered as a neutral ground for both teams.
Goalkeeper Ali Halal (Bourj FC) collected yet another ball in his box, protected by Mohamed Zein Tahan (right), Shadi Skaf (behind him) and Ahmad Saleh (behind the goalkeeper) in front of lonely Nejmeh forward Zaher Smahi. Photo source: Lebanese FA Facebook page
The match was much impacted by the unusual rainy weather, which also affected the artificial turf of the stadium, clearly not prepared to take so much water in such a small period of time. As a result, the game was more physical than usual, and the technical advantage that Nejmeh could have claimed to have was all gone. The strongest players were the most useful in the field, winning tackles and sending the ball away from the dangerous areas. Attacks were difficult to build up, and any pass at ground level was uncertain.
Ahmad Kheiredine (Nejmeh) surrounded by Bourj FC defensive midfielders, Prosper Donkor (left) and Mohamad El Faour (right). Photo source: Lebanese FA Facebook page
Nejmeh was the team that tried to be more offensive from the very beginning, while Bourj FC applied the usual defensive tactics when they play against better-ranked teams. This time, this defensive tactic worked very well, because Nejmeh were simply unable to break through the Bourj defense with their normal passing and had to try with long or high balls, that were easily cleared away by the defenders or collected by the goalkeeper.
Ali Markabawi (Bourj FC) and Abdallah Moghrabi (Nejmeh) in an aerial fight for the ball. Photo source: Lebanese FA Facebook page
In the first half, Nejmeh had only one real chance to score, a long-range shot by Mehdi El Zein which hit the crossbar (13'). This, to be honest, was their biggest chance in the whole match. Shots from range were one of the solutions to detour the opposite defence and have a chance, also slightly taking advantage of the wet turf if the shot was at ground level or (even better) hit the ground before the goalkeeper, but later attempts failed. Another opportunity was to head at least one of the high balls crossed in the box, usually from set pieces, but there was only header that created some danger, that of Kassem El Zein (Nejmeh), but Ali Halal saved (30').
Houssem Louati (Bourj FC) and Artiom Litveacov (Nejmeh) in a duel of the foreigners. Photo source: Lebanese FA Facebook page
In the second half, not much changed. Nejmeh continued their offensive charges, with very limited success, because Bourj FC defended well and even strengthened their defensive lines, sensing that this is a very good chance to smuggle a point. Most of Nejmeh attacks finished with shots that went either far from the target, blocked by the defenders, or, in last instance, by goalkeeper Ali Halal.
On the other hand, Bourj FC could have even snatched three points, with some luck and a better referee (or perhaps VAR, which is not yet implemented in Lebanon). A long ball by Ali Halal was headed by Tidiane Camara to Mohamad Saleh, who nearly escaped towards the goal, but was tackled (pushed) by Mahed Sabra on the edge of the box and fell (69'). The referee decided that there was nothing wrong. The decision is really difficult to assess. First of all, it should be decided whether this was a foul or no. In my opinion, anywhere else in the field, this would have been interpreted as a foul. In this case, because it could have been a penalty that might have changed the history of this game, the referee took the easiest decision, to let it go. Second, in case it was a foul, was it inside or outside the box? If outside, it would have been a free kick and a red card for the defender. If inside, this would have been a penalty. Hard to say, even after a few replays: it starts slightly outside the box, but it continues inside the box, and Mohamad Saleh only fell inside the box. I think VAR would be needed in such cases.
Bilal Najdi (Nejmeh) with the ball, chased by Tidiane Camara (Bourj FC). Photo source: Lebanese FA Facebook page
Nejmeh intensifed their attacks in the last 20 minutes, and they also made some offensive changes which clearly put more pressure on the opposite defense, but to no avail. The biggest opportunity in stoppage time in fact belonged to Bourj FC. On a very lonely counterattack on the left side, Tidiane Camara almost surprised Ali Al Sabeh with a shot at the near post, but Nejmeh goalkeeper corrected in time his position and was able to save (90'+2').
Tidiane Camara (Bourj FC) with the ball, marked by Maher Sabra (Nejmeh), and watched by his teammate Ali Markabawi (Bourj FC) and Artiom Litveacov (Nejmeh), had a good opportunity in stoppage time. Photo source: Lebanese FA Facebook page
The draw does not really help any of the teams, which both lost their position in their table: Nejmeh are now second due to a worse goal difference than leaders Al Ahed, while Bourj FC dropped in fourth, also due to the lower number of goals scored than Safa.
Bourj FC: Ali Halal - Mohamed Zein Tahan (Mohamad El Dor 46'), Ahmad Saleh, Shadi Skaf, Mohamad Al Hayek - Mohamad El Faour (Bilal Sabbagh 63'), Prosper Donkor - Ali Markabawi (Hassan Chaito "Moni" 86'), Houssem Louati (Khodor Hallak 90'+3'), Ali Kassas (Mohamed Saleh 62') - Tidiane Camara. Manager: Hussein Tahan.
Nejmeh: Ali Al Sabeh - Abdallah Moghrabi, Kassem El Zein, Artiom Litveacov, Maher Sabra - Vítor Barata, Bilal Najdi (Mohamad Al-Markabawi 81'), Ahmad Kheiredine - Mehdi El Zein (Hassan Kourani 67'), Zaher Smahi (Everton Nascimento 56'), Khalil Bader. Manager: Paulo Menezes.
Referee: Hussein Abou Yehia.
The match was broadcasted by MTV Sports, on TV, YouTube and Facebook. Full match is available on Facebook: First half Second half. On YouTube the first half is only available from the 19th minute: First half Second half.
In the next round, Bourj FC will face new leaders Al Ahed on Wenesday, 7 February, while Nejmeh will face Safa on Saturday, 10 February.
Full results, table and fixtures:
Round 1 (2-4 February 2024)
Al Ahed – Ansar 1-1
Bourj – Nejmeh 0-0
Racing – Safa 0-1
Table
|
1 |
Al Ahed |
1 |
0 |
1 |
0 |
32-7 |
15 |
|
|
2 |
Nejmeh |
1 |
0 |
1 |
0 |
25-11 |
15 |
|
|
3 |
Safa |
1 |
1 |
0 |
0 |
23-17 |
12 |
(+) |
|
4 |
Bourj |
1 |
0 |
1 |
0 |
17-11 |
12 |
(+) |
|
5 |
Ansar |
1 |
0 |
1 |
0 |
21-14 |
11 |
|
|
6 |
Racing |
1 |
0 |
0 |
1 |
19-20 |
8 |
(+) |
(+) Points have been rounded up.
Round 2 (7-10 February 2024)
Al Ahed – Bourj
Ansar – Racing
Safa – Nejmeh
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