Ansar won 2-0 over Bourj FC in the Lebanese FA Cup semifinal and will play against Nejmeh in the final

Saturday, 8 May 2021, 4 pm local time (1 pm UTC), Amin Abdelnour Stadium, Bhamdoun (Aley), Lebanon, Lebanese FA Cup semifinals.

 Bourj FC starting XI in the FA Cup semifinal. Upper row from left to right: Hussein Al Outa, Muhamad El Faour, Samih Damaj, Fadel Antar, Ahmad Al Khatib, Khodor Hallak. Lower row (left to right): Hussein Ibrahim, Ghassan Farran, Abdel Karim Saleh, Ibrahim Abou Hamdan, Hamza Abboud. Source: Bourj FC Facebook page

Bourj FC started as outsiders in this game against the Lebanese champions, Ansar, but they defended well their chances. In the first half, Ansar put a lot of pressure on Bourj defence, which resisted heroically for more than 45 minutes. Hassan Maatouk (15') and Ahmed Hijazi (23') missed important chances for Ansar. In the stoppage time of the first half, after a corner, Mahmoud Kojok's shot from short range hit the crossbar, the ball reached Hassan Maatouk, whose cross was this time headed in by the same Mahmoud Kojok: 1-0 (45'+2').

Nader Matar (Ansar, in green) is caught between Hussein Al Outa (left, #7) and Ibrahim Abou Hamdan. Source: elmaestrosport.com

The second half was much more balanced. Bourj FC tried to come back in the game, and their mission was made easier by Ansar's captain, Moataz Billah Al Jonaidi, who committed a foul on Hussein Al Outa, for which he received a second yellow card and was sent off (67'). Bourj scored by Ghassan Farran (76') but the goal was cancelled for offside. 

The result of the match was still under question, when Ansar doubled their advantage, even in ten men. A free kick from the right side was executed by Nader Matar, who found Hussein El Dor inside the box, and the defender managed to send a shot: 2-0 (84').

Bourj attacks intensified in the final minutes, but they were unable to score a single goal, as Muhamad Safwan's shot from range hit the post (90'+4').

Ansar: Nazih Assad - Hassan Shaito "Shibriko", Hussein El Dor, Nassar Nassar (Youssef Anbar 90'), Moataz Billah Al Jonaidi, Hussein Shaito "Moni" (Jihad Ayoub 75'), Ahmad Hijazi (Alaa Al Baba 90'), Nader Matar, Hassan Maatouk, Ghazi Hneini, Mahmoud Kojok (Anas Abo Saleh 69'). Manager: Robert Jaspert.

Bourj: Abdel Karim Saleh - Hamza Abboud, Khodor Hallak, Ahmad Al Khatib, Ibrahim Abou Hamdan - Muhamad Al Faour, Hussein Ibrahim (Muhamad Safwan 46') - Samih Damaj (Eid Jaish 66'), Hussein Al Outa, Ghassan Farran (Muhamad Saleh 77') - Fadel Antar. Ali Kiki has also played. Manager: Fouad Hijazi.

Referee: Hadi Salama.

Yellow cards: Nassar Nassar 7', Mahmoud Kojok 17', Ghazi Hneini 39', Moataz Billah Al Jonaidi 60', 67' - Samih Damaj 25'.

Red card: Moataz Billah Al Jonaidi 67' (for a second yellow card).

In the other semifinal, Nejmeh won 4-0 over Safa. Therefore, the FA Cup final will consist of the traditional derby between Ansar and Nejmeh. Both teams will represent Lebanon in the next year AFC Cup.