Championship 2002-2003 Golden & Relegation Square Round 1

Mabarrah and Salam Zgharta secured their places for another season at the first division after their victory against Ikhaa Ahley Aley and Bourj respectively at the Relegation Zone's matches. Therefore, the battle over the two places finished two rounds before the end of the matches. 

Mabarrah vs. Ikhaa (3-1)

The match was played on Junie Municipality Stadium and it finished with a clear victory for Mabarrah 3-1. (First Half 2-1)

The game's level was medium with Mabarrah's players having the upper hand while Ikhaa missed some its starters and despite this fact Ikhaa presented a good match and didn't give although they were relegated to the second division.

At the 8^th minute, Ali Ahmed got a long ball from the center field and dribbled with the ball and passed through the goalkeeper to score the leading goal for Mabarrah. It didn't take Ikhaa too long to score because they scored after three minutes only when Mohammad el Mousawi played a cross and Ali Hmade; Mabarrah's goalkeeper failed to clear it to reach Ahmed el Saksouk who passed it to Luis Trentik who sent it on the left of the Hmade to score the equalizer.

At the 32^nd minute, Madio Konati got the ball at the edge of the penalty area and he played a tricky ball on the left side of Rabie' el Kakhi to score the second goal for Mabarrah.

At the 66^th minute, a cross from Ali el Atat to Madio Konati who played the ball between the goalie's legs to strengthen Mabarrah's lead. 

The Polish referee Miroslave Rechka refereed the match and he was assisted by the German Assistant Referees Harald Sather and Wolker Diesel. 

Yellow cards: Mohammad el Ayoubi (Ikhaa

Salam vs. Bourj (8-0) 

The match was between Salam Zgharta and Bourj was played at Tripoli Municipality Stadium and it ended with a great win for the host 8-0. (First Half 3-0). 

The match was for one side; Salam who controlled the field from the beginning till the end of the match while Bourj played with their reserve team and it consisted of youth players in addition to only 2 players from the 1^st team; Fadl el Sayed and Basel Hadid.

The goals were scored by, Jad Muawad 12' and 42', Muhsen Nasif 46, and 85', Mohammad Obeid 21', Rami el Hassan 33', Ghassan Germanos 19' and Bassam Asa'ad 80'. 

The match was refereed by the German referee Wolfgang Stark and was assisted by his fellow citizens Glindman and Karsten Kawakh.

Yellow cards:  Fadl el Sayed (Bourj)

Olympic Beirut are now one step closer to win the title of the Master Championship after their win against Ansar with a single goal while the direct competent for Olympic; Nejmeh suffered an unexpected defeat against Ahed (3-4). Olympic needs one point from the remaining two matches against Ahed and Nejmeh to be officially crowned as champions, while Nejmeh needs a miracle to keep title in their headquarters.
 

Olympic vs. Ansar (1-0)

 The Brazilian player Edilson De Silva scored the most valuable goal for his club Olympic two minutes before the end of the mach against Ansar in the match which was held on Beirut Municipality Stadium. The first half ended 0-0. 

The match was tough on both sides and it wasn’t of a high level. Olympic’s players were better in their organized attacks on Ziad El Samad’s goal who was at the top of his form. At the 27^th minute he denied Olympic the break through goal when he saved Abbas Atwi’s strike with his foot at the last minute before scoring. The post also denied Olympic two goals at the 15^th minute for Mohammad Kassas and at the 83^rd minute for Pirre Issa. On the other side, Ansar had a great chance to score at the 52^nd minute when Peter Prospar was alone in front of Ahmed El Saker, but Peter shot the ball above the bar. 

The Polish referee Miroslave Rechka refereed the match and he was assisted by the German Assistants Harald Sather and Volker Wizel.

Yellow cards: Yussof Mohammad, Imad El Miri and Mohammad Roda (Olympic) Danny Nazal and Mohammad Jawad (Ansar)

Ahed vs. Nejmeh (4-3)

Ahed boosted Nejmeh’s dreams to win the title for the second consecutive year after their dramatic win (4-3). The first half (1-1)

The winner knew how to benefit from Nejmeh’s faults and managed to score, while Nejmeh’s players were unlucky many times especially when Abbas Atwi missed a great opportunity to score after a penalty made by Ahed’s player Hassan Mizher against Mahmoud Majid  at the 29^th minute.

Ahed took the lead at the 19^th minute with a goal scored by Mahmoud Shahoud from a penalty kick on the right side of Abdou Tafeh’s goal after Nejmeh’s defender committed a foul against Udai El Atar.

Then, Jilberto managed to level the score for Nejmeh after he shot a great ball into the net to equalize for Nejmeh.

At the second half, Ahed’s players played powerfully to have the break through. They managed to score at the 51^st minute when Shahoud scored his second goal after he got the ball from Nejmeh’s keeper Abdou Tafeh who failed to clear Sunday’s ball and Shahoud scored a lob ball above the keeper and his defender.

At the 57^th minute Ahed scored again by Ahmed Itani when managed to shot a low ball on the right of the keeper. When Nejmeh tried to wake up and return to the match, the Sierra Leonine player Abu Baker Bah killed their efforts after he scored a stunner outside the penalty area that tricked Abdou Tafeh.

Then Ahed played in a defensive formation while Nejmeh’s players tried their best to score and they succeeded in doing so when the substitute Mohammad Ghaddar scored at the 70^th minute the second goal for Nejmeh after a fault made by Ahed’s goalie Bilal Hachem and his defenders. Then Nejmeh’s captain Moussa Hjeij scored the third goal for Nejmeh one minute before the end of the match from a penalty kick on the right side of Ahed’s goal.

A German group headed by Wolfgang Strak refereed the match and the Assistants Sounli Glindman and Karsten Kawakh assisted him. 

Yellow Cards: Husein Daher (Nejmeh) Hassan Mizher and Mahmoud Shahoud (Ahed)

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