Bourj FC lost the first match of the 2024-2025 season, season stopped due to Israeli attacks

In the previous week-end, the 2024-2025 season of the Lebanese Premier League started with the matches of the first round. Bourj FC played at "home" at Al Ahed Stadium against... Al Ahed, on Saturday, 21 September 2024, kick-off at 4 pm. With an almost entirely changed team and a new sponsor (Royal), but without foreign players (which are said to arrive soon... will they?), Bourj FC played beautifully, especially in the first half.

Bourj FC starting line-up. Source: Lebanese FA Facebook page

Al Ahed starting line-up. Source: Lebanese FA Facebook page

The good game made by Bourj FC materialized in the 31st minute, when Ahmad Hijazi found the target from close range, after an assist from Ali Rahal: 1-0.

Nevertheless, Al Ahed responded soon, and Mahmoud Zbib equalized right before half time, assisted by Karim Darwich: 1-1 (43').

In the second half, Zein Farran (53') scored for Al Ahed, who took the lead, and then Karim Darwich established the final score, after an assist from Amadou Niasse: 3-1 (67').

Former Bourj FC player, Zein Farran, scored and gave the lead early in the second half for Al Ahed. Source: Lebanese FA Facebook page

Bourj FC starting line-up: Hassan Hazimeh - Ali Abboud, Abdallah Aich, Hassan Hazimeh, Youssef Anbar, Haidar Khreiss, Mohamad El Sibaii "Wartan", Hassan El Mokdad, Ali Rahal, Shadi Jouni, Ahmad Hijazi. Manager: Fouad Hijazi.

Results of the other matches of the first round:

Shabab Sahel - Hikma / Sagesse 0-2

Al Riyadi Al Abbasiyah - Tadamon Sour 1-2

Safa - Racing 4-1

Ansar - Shabab Baalbek 4-0

Nejmeh - Shabab Al-Ghazieh 3-0

These matches were played when the situation in Lebanon was already critical. In the next days, Israeli attacks intensified, and the Lebanese FA took the logical decision to postpone all the matches. It is not known when the season will resume.

First win for 1. FK Svidník after seven consecutive defeats

The relegation to the Slovak Fourth League (4. Liga - East) was intensely felt by 1. FK Svidník. Most of the players who played last year left, and it took some time to fill the gap. Manager Ladislav Oravec was brought in from the youth team. In the meantime, the new season started, and 1. FK Svidník had a catastrophic series of seven defeats: 0-5 at home to ŠK Záhradné, 1-4 at home to MFK Rožnava (both newly-promoted teams), 1-3 away to MFK Spartak Medzev, 1-6 at home to 1. MFK Kežmarok, 0-3 away at PWG Sokol L'ubotice, 0-3 at home to MFK Slovan Sabinov, 2-5 away at FK Kechnec.

Finally, in the eighth round, 1. FK Svidník succeeded to break the ice and win their first points, winning 1-0 (1-0) at home against FK Čaňa. It was a tough and difficult match, with both teams struggling a lot, pressing hard and defending well. The only goal of the match was scored by the Mexican player of 1. FK Svidník, Aldahir Jiménez Yánez, who converted a free kick from the right side, meant for a header in the box, but nobody touched the ball, and the goalkeeper got tricked, as the ball hit the target.

Hopefully, this would mean a restart for 1. FK Svidník, which need to gather more points to save themselves from yet another relegation, because currently they are bottom of the table.

Svidník: Chukhra - Macko (Rogoš 61'), Šimco, Minčák, Fedák (Kočiš 74'), Baran, Martiček, Dos Santos, Jiménez Yánez (Cina 74'), Makara, Orji (Haluška 87'). Manager: Ladislav Oravec.

Čaňa: Binda - Pet'ovský, Pilipčuk, Gracer, Šoltišik, Albisu, Ukropec, Šemrák (Stankovič 58'), Pavlenko, Gajtko (Kučera 58'), Majerník. Manager:

Referee: Marcel Maličký.

Yellow cards: Baran 88' - Gracer 76'.

The next match for 1. FK Svidník will be away at FK Gerlachov, tomorrow, Sunday, 15 September 2024.