Al Ahed and Bourj level in Lebanese derby

Al Ahed - Bourj FC 1-1 (0-0)

Ahmed Zreik 90'+1' - Abbas Ali Atwi "Onika" 69'.

Friday, 9 April 2022, 4 pm local time (1 pm UTC), Fouad Chehab Stadium, Jounieh, Lebanon, 5th round of the Lebanese Premier League play-off.

 Bourj FC starting XI against Al Ahed. Source: Bourj FC Facebook page

 

Al Ahed starting XI against Bourj. Source: Al Ahed Facebook page

Bourj FC were only minutes away from achieving a great win, and Al Ahed to register their first defeat this season. If the matched ended after 90 minutes without stoppage time, Bourj would have won. But in the first minute of stoppage time, Al Ahed equalized and therefore they maintain their invincibility and remain clear favorites for the title this season, with five matches to go, and a 7-point gap ahead of Bourj FC.

In the first half, Bourj FC had more ball possession but they seemed unable to create any danger to the opposite goal. On the contrary, Al Ahed looked very dangerous on several occasions, and especially the Tunisian striker Akaichi had a couple of good chances, but he missed from excellent positions.

Tunisian striker Ahmed Akaichi missed a couple of very good opportunities for Al Ahed in the first half. Source: Al Ahed Facebook page.

In the second half, the game was much more exciting. Both teams became more creative in the building their attacks, and chances emerged at a higher pace. For Bourj, Abou Baker Al Mel and Mohamad El Dor cooperated very well on the right flank, and provided several useful balls for the other attacking players. Indeed, one of these actions led to the first goal. Mohamed El Dor and Abou Baker Al Mel made a one-two, and tricked the Al Ahed defense, allowing Mohamed El Dor to advance unmarked to the right side of the box, from where he was able to cross precisely for Abbas Ali Atwi "Onika", who headed the ball to the near post, putting the goalkeeper on the wrong foot: 0-1 (69'). It was the first goal scored by the veteran Bourj midfielder "Onika" with his head in more than 20 years in the Lebanese Premier League!

Bourj FC captain, Abbas Ali Atwi "Onika" (right, #10), scored for the first time with a header, giving Bourj FC the lead. Source: Al Ahed Facebook page.

After the goal, Al Ahed reacted promptly, and attacked more and more intensely towards the end of the game. Chances came one after the other, but the Bourj defence resisted well. Even more, Bourj could have doubled their advantage, as Al Ahed left more and more spaces unguarded in their defence, where Bourj attackers sneaked in but failed to produce a second goal.

It was in the beginning of stoppage time when Al Ahed was able to equalize. A cross like many others from the left side was intended for Khalil Khamis, but Khodor Hallak tried to intervene and slightly deflected the ball, quite perfectly for an upcoming Ahed striker, sub Ahmed Zreik, who headed the ball in from close range: 1-1 (90'+1'). Bourj FC complained that the referee did not see a handball from one of the Al Ahed defenders inside their own box in the action previous to the goal, and did not award a penalty for Bourj, instead the action moved to the other box and resulted in the equalizer.

Ahmed Zreik (in black) headed the ball in from close range to keep Al Ahed unbeaten this season. Source: elmaestrosport.com

The equalizer felt like a win for Al Ahed, while Bourj FC players perceived this like a defeat, despite the fact that they succeeded a great game. 

 

Al Ahed players celebrated the goal intensely. Source: Al Ahed Facebook page

 

The draw gives advantage to Al Ahed, which maintain their 7-point lead ahead of Bourj FC in the run for the title this season.

Al Ahed: Mustafa Matar - Hassan Srour, Khalil Khamis, Hussein Dakik (Mohamed Hayek 81'), Ali Hadid, Haitham Faour, Hussein Monzer, Habib Shweikh (Hussein Haidar 81'), Mohammad Haidar, Rabih Ataya (Ahmed Zreik 62'), Ahmed Akaichi (Mohamed Nasser 81'). Manager: Bassem Marmar.

Bourj FC: Hassan Moghnieh - Mohamad El Dor, Khodor Hallak, Shadi Skaf, Ibrahim Abou Hamdan - Mohamad El Faour, Mohamad Kassem - Abou Baker Al Mel (Hassan Bitar 90'+2'), Abbas Ali Atwi "Onika" (Youssef Atriss 75'), Ali Merkabaoui - Bersyl Obassi (Hussein Al Outa 66'). Manager: Fouad Hijazi.

Referee: Hussein Abou Yahya.

Yellow cards: Rabih Ataya 31', Ali Hadid 53', Khalil Khamis 64'.

Full results, table and fixtures:

Play-off

Round 5 (8-9 April 2022)

 

Shabab Sahel – Tadamon Sour 2-0

Ansar – Shabab El Bourj 2-2

Ahed – Bourj 1-1

 

Table

 

1	Al Ahed	16	12	4	0	30-5	40
2	Bourj	16	9	6	1	20-10	33
3	Ansar	16	7	5	4	29-13	26
4	Shabab Sahel	16	8	2	6	27-26	26
5	Tadamon Sour	16	4	5	7	14-16	17
6	Shabab El Bourj	16	4	3	9	18-29	15

 

If two or more teams have the same number of points, the results of head-to-head matches between them are the main ranking criteria.

 

Round 6 (April 2022)

 

Shabab El Bourj – Bourj

Tadamon Sour – Al Ahed

Ansar – Shabab Sahel

 

Play-out

Round 5 (8-10 April 2022)

 

Al Akhaa Al Ahly Aley – Safa 2-1

Hikma / Sagesse – AC Sporting 2-1

AC Tripoli – Nejmeh

 

Table

 

7	AC Tripoli	15	7	2	6	18-17	23
8	Nejmeh	15	6	6	3	20-11	18	[1]
9	Al Akhaa Al Ahly Aley	16	5	3	8	12-18	18
10	Hikma / Sagesse	16	5	2	9	10-27	17
11	Safa	16	3	4	9	8-23	13
12	AC Sporting	16	3	2	11	12-23	11

 

If two or more teams have the same number of points, the results of head-to-head matches between them are the main ranking criteria.

 

Round 6 (April 2022)

 

AC Tripoli – AC Sporting

Nejmeh – Al Akhaa Al Ahly Aley

Hikma / Sagesse – Safa

---

[1] Nejmeh were deducted 6 points for not attending the game against Al Ahed in round 9.