First play-off win for Bourj FC, first play-off defeat for Ansar

Bourj - Ansar 2-1 (1-1)

Ali Kassas 29', Khodor Hallak 90'+3' - Robert Melki 33'

Saturday, 27 April 2024, 4 pm local time (1 pm UTC), Fouad Chehab Stadium, Jounieh, Lebanon, 8th round of the championship play-off, Lebanese Premier League.

 Bourj FC, eventual winners of the game. Photo source: Bourj FC Facebook page

Al Ansar starting eleven, big favourites to win this game. Photo source: elmaestrosport.com

Bourj FC made another big surprise, perhaps the biggest imaginable this season, by winning over (former) leaders and title chasing Ansar, in the context in which it would be very difficult for them to climb higher than their current position, which is the fifth place in the table. 

Nonetheless, Bourj played very convincingly, and they even dominated large periods of the game, putting an unexpected pressure on their opponents, clearly surprised by such an offensive strategy for part of Bourj FC.

Prosper Donkor (Bourj FC) with the ball, chased by Abdallah Yaisien (Ansar). Photo source: Lebanese FA Facebook page

This attacking style of play brought some results, first some chances for Bourj FC, like the one missed by Bilal Al Sabbagh (12') and then the goal, which came after a collective action. Hassan Chaito "Moni" opened up to Shadi Skaf on the left, who crossed into the box, Bilal Al Sabbagh and Ali Kassas combined, and after a spectacular one-two, the latter finished with a cold-blooded lob over the goalkeeper: 1-0 (29').

Ansar replied almost immediately. A corner from the right side was taken by Hassan Maatouk, and Robert Melki scored with his chest (most likely): 1-1 (33'). Several minutes were then lost with the VAR checking if Melki touched the ball with his hands or not; none of the replays was clear enough but apparently he did not touch the ball with his hands, and the goal was eventually given.

Robert Melki (#22) scored a weird goal, after hitting the ball with his chest after a corner. It took some minutes for the VAR to eventually give the goal for Ansar, after checking thoroughly if he touched the ball with his hands or not. Photo source: Lebanese FA Facebook page

Before the break, both teams missed important chances. Ali Kassas was close to score a brace, but his shot from inside the box went over the crossbar (42'), while El Hadji Malick Tall's goal was cancelled for an obvious offside, also confirmed by VAR (44').

In the second half, things changed, with Ansar taking the game more seriously in their hands, and trying to secure a win, while Bourj made a step back, in order to defend a draw.

Hassan Maatouk was, as always, behind most Ansar attacks in this game, here facing Mohamad Al Husseini (Bourj FC). Photo source: Lebanese FA Facebook page

Nevertheless, there were not too many opportunities for Ansar, and the game was heading steadily towards a 1-1 draw. It would have been a second consecutive 1-1 draw for Ansar, which had the same result in the previous round, against Racing. 

However, the miracle happened in stoppage time. In one of the few Bourj corners in the second time, taken by Houssem Louati, Khodor Hallak rised in the center of the box, and headed precisely to the left corner, on the right of the goalkeeper: 2-1 (90'+3').

Bourj FC players and staff celebrating Khodor Hallak's winning goal. Photo source: Lebanese FA Facebook page

Celebrations had to be stopped because there were a few more minutes of stoppage time added, but nothing important happened, and Bourj claimed their first win since the start of the play-off, while Ansar recorded their first defeat in the play-off. Actually, this was Ansar's only second defeat in the whole season. They had been defeated only once, in the regular season, by the same Bourj FC!

So, one can say that Bourj really are Ansar's Nemesis, and in this particular case, such a defeat may also mean not just losing temporarily the top spot in the table, but it may be decisive for the title as well, with only seven rounds left to play.

Bourj FC: Abdelkarim Saleh - Mohamad Zein Tahan, Khodor Hallak, Mohamad Al Husseini, Shadi Skaf - Bilal Al Sabbagh, Prosper Donkor - Ali Kassas, Hussein Chaito "Moni", Houssem Louati - Tidiane Camara. Ali Markabawi, Ali Chaito, Hilal El Helwe and Mohamad Al Faour came in during the second half. Manager: Malek Hassoun.

Ansar: Nazih Assaad - Nassar Nassar, Maxime Aoun, Robert Melki, Mohamad Ali Dhaini, Mohamad Bou Saleh, Mohamad Hebous, El Hadji Malick Tall, Hassan Maatouk, Abdallah Yaisien, Hassan Kaafarani. Nader Matar, Hichem Houssam Eddine and Mohamad Al Massri came in during the second half. Manager: Youssef Al Jawhari.

Referee: Ali Reda.

Full results, table and fixtures:

 

Round 8 (26-28 April 2024)

 

Racing – Nejmeh 0-3

Bourj – Ansar 2-1

Al Ahed – Safa 1-1

 

                              Table

 

1	Nejmeh	8	4	2	2	34-16	28
2	Ansar	8	5	2	1	38-20	27
3	Al Ahed	8	3	4	1	40-11	27
4	Safa	8	4	2	2	31-25	23	(+)
5	Bourj	8	1	2	5	20-24	16	(+)
6	Racing	8	0	2	6	24-34	10	(+)

 

(+) Points have been rounded up.

 

Round 9 (10-12 May 2024)

 

Bourj – Racing

Safa – Ansar

Al Ahed – Nejmeh

Fayoum finished second despite losing, MS Maghagha relegated despite winning

After a long break caused by the Ramadan, the Egyptian Second Division B resumed about a week ago with the matches of the 17th round (second to last) and yesterday the matches of the last round were played. In group B, there was no question regarding promotion, because Tersana have been already promoted for some time now, and only the second position was in danger, because Fayoum lost unexpectedly 4-1 to MS Maghagha in the second to last round, while El Minya won and came only three poinst behind Fayoum before the last round. Fayoum did not play in the last round, and El Minya only needed a win at two-goal difference over Telephonat Beni Suef to clinch the second place, but once again football proved to be unpredictable, as worryless Telephonat went on to win away at El Minya, and therefore Fayoum preserved their second place. 

Fayoum home defeat to MS Maghagha was their only defeat of the season, but could have costed them the second place, which might give them a chance for promotion under very special circumstances. However, MS Maghagha were much more interested in the points, as they needed them to escape relegation. Their win at Fayoum provided them with a life-line, but everything was to be played in the last round. MS Maghagha and Beni Mazar were last with the same number of points and same goal difference, only a higher total number of goals scored by Beni Mazar. Tamya and El Wasta had two points more, but in the last round they faced exactly MS Maghagha and Beni Mazar. So, the maths said that both MS Maghagha and Beni Mazar needed to win to be certain they avoid relegation. In case both won, Tamya was to be relegated, because their goal difference was much worse than El Wasta. Therefore, El Wasta were rather safe, even if they played away and lost, it was pretty much impossible for them to remain last. As a consequence, it was considered that MS Maghagha had an easier match against El Wasta: a win by MS Maghagha would have meant that the team relegated was to be decided by the result of the match between Tamya and Beni Mazar. In case Maghagha won, Beni Mazar were only saved with a win, and Tamya were relegated; in case of a draw or a Tamya win, Beni Mazar would have been relegated. 

But, as already pointed out, football is unpredictable. MS Maghagha did not win against El Wasta, the match finished 1-1. MS Maghagha would have been saved only if Beni Mazar lost. However, Tamya and Beni Mazar also drew 1-1, and MS Maghagha were relegated because of the lower number of goals scored!

Full results and final table of the Second Division B, Group B:

 

Round 17 (19 April 2024)

 

Fayoum – Maghagha 1-4

Al Wasta – El Minya 0-1

Telephonat – Tamya 2-0

Beni Mazar – Egypt Stars 3-1

Tersana bye

 

Round 18 (26 April 2024)

 

Maghagha – Al Wasta 1-1

Tamya – Beni Mazar 1-1

Egypt Stars – Tersana 1-2

El Minya – Telephonat 1-2

Fayoum bye

 

Final table

 

1	Tersana	16	13	3	0	35-5	42	Promoted to the Second Division
2	Fayoum	16	6	9	1	16-10	27
3	El Minya	16	6	6	4	19-16	24
4	Egypt Stars	16	6	3	7	20-13	21
5	Telephonat	16	6	1	9	15-23	19
6	Al Wasta	16	3	7	6	15-19	16
7	Tamya	16	4	4	8	15-31	16
8	Beni Mazar	16	3	5	8	18-27	14
9	Maghagha	16	2	8	6	13-22	14	Relegated to the Third Division

 

In case that two or more teams are equal on points, the goal difference is the main ranking criterion, followed by the total number of goals scored.