Shabab Sahel 1-0 (0-0) Bourj FC
Hassan Salameh 53'
Saturday, 6 December 2025, 2:15 pm local time (12:15 pm UTC), Al Ahed Stadium, Ouzai (Beirut), Lebanon, 8th round of the Lebanese Premier League.
The Dahieh derby between Shabab Al Sahel and Bourj FC came in a moment when the two teams were in opposite form - Shabab Al Sahel improving their results match by match, while Bourj FC in a decline materialized by four consecutive defeats before this game, and a fifth one at the conclusion of this match, whose result reflects properly the contrasting evolution of the two teams lately.
However, on the pitch, on an unusual cloudy and even rainy afternoon, the situation was much balanced. In the first half, the periods of possession and offensive action were quite equally distributed between the two teams, with Shabab Al Sahel more active in the first 20-25 minutes, and Bourj FC more dangerous towards the end of the first half, with some good opportunities to score for both teams.
The match was decided at the beginning of the second half. There were numerous corner kicks in both halfs for both teams, and indeed many dangerous situations occurred due to set pieces throughout the game, so it was somehow logical that if a goal was to be scored, it would have been the result of a set piece. Mohamad Haidar took a corner from the right side to the near post, and Hassan Salameh had an exceptional shot from between several Bourj FC players, sending the ball home to the opposite corner from a difficult position: 1-0 (53').
The goal pretty much closed the game. Although there was plenty of time to play, Shabab Sahel applied a defensive tactics which worked, trying to keep the ball as far away as possible from their own box, fragmenting the game, launching swift counterattacks, and overall they succeeded to preserve the result until the end. Bourj FC did not find a way to break through the opposite defense, they even had less chances than before the goal was scored, because Shabab Sahel covered very well all the possible ways towards their goal, all the existing space in front of their box. Unfortunately, Bourj FC no longer has a player capable of unlocking such a tight defense, and all their efforts were in vain.
Shabab Al Sahel: Ibrahim El Mokdad - Abdallah Moughrabi (Issa Ndiaye 77', Hussein Rizk 88'), Hadi Jezzini, Franklin Kuete Talla, Hassan Hazimeh - Mahmoud Hoteit, Mohamad Haidar - Ali Fakieh, Hassan Salameh, Mohamad Markabawi (Fadel Assi 90'+4') - Victor Abata. Manager: Saeed Iskandar.
Bourj FC: Ali Hajj Hassan - Sajed Amhaz, Mamadou Touré, Hussein Fahs, Mohamad Hammoud (Youssef Anbar 66') - Yasser Dimachek (Ali Rahhal 79'), Youssef Atriss (Abdoulaye Fall 67') - Adama Diaw (Ibrahim Mhana 79'), Kassem Al Shoum, Haidar Khriess - Mouhamed Soumah (Daniel Abou Fakher 67'). Manager: Ahmad Atwi.
Referee: Ali Al Ashkar.
Yellow cards: Hassan Hazimeh 82', Hussein Rizk 90'+6'.
The match was broadcasted live online on FIFA+ website.
For Bourj FC, the next two matches are very important, because they will play against the only two teams which are below them in the standings: Racing (which are bottom of the table), and Riyadi Al Abbasiyah (second to last). Any bad result in these two matches might lead them in a relegation position, which is what they are trying hard to avoid.
For Shabab Sahel, on the other hand, the next matches (the first against Riyadi Al Abbasiyah) might provide them the opportunity to advance more in the table, and to reach the top 6 at the end of the regular season. They are currently seventh, just below that thin line which will separate teams playing the play-off and the play-out after the regular season ends.
No comments:
Post a Comment