22 November 2010

BEIRUT: Ahed kept the pressure on Lebanon’s top two – Safa and Ansar – with a comfortable 2-1 win over Mabarrah at Beirut’s Cite Sportive Sunday.

The win moves the league holder three points behind Ansar in third place with 14 points from seven games.

Ahed’s start forward Hassan Maatouk moved into double figures for the season already – six ahead of his nearest rival for the league’s top goalscorer – after grabbing both of Ahed’s goals either side of half time.

Maatouk scored the opener on 34 minutes before Tarek al-Ali equalized just after half time. Ahed then took the lead again in the 55th minute with another classy strike from the diminutive winger.

Akhaa Ahly beat fellow relegation candidate Islah 1-0 Sunday to relieve mounting pressure on the newly promoted side. The win also showed that Akhaa is able to hold onto a lead having taken the lead three times already this year before conceding late goals, costing the club valuable points home and away.

Lebanese international Paul Rustom struck the crossbar in an uneventful first half before Akhaa dominated the second period as it searched for its first win of the campaign.

Hassan Mallah’s late strike gave Akhaa all three points as the Bhamdoun side stays in tenth place, one place above the relegation zone, but crucially only one point behind ninth and four points ahead of eleventh placed Islah.

Nejmeh lost further ground at the top of the table after a poor 0-0 draw with Racing Beirut. Few chances were made in yet another tedious match between two of the league’s best teams. Nejmeh marginally had the better play after a period of domination in the first half with Mo Camara dangerous at times. 

Safa reasserted its  authority at the top of the table with a 3-1 win over Salam Sour in Tyre Saturday.

Rony Azar gave the Jnah side the lead after 23 minutes as Safa took control early on before Khadar Salameh doubled the away side’s advantage in the second half. Mohammad Tahan put the game beyond doubt late on before Trad’s late strike.

While Safa keep the bar raised at the top of the table, Ansar is keeping up the pressure with a hard fought win against the overachieving Tadamoun Sour with Ahmad Ayoub scoring the only goal of the game. Ali Naseridinne went close to doubling Ansar’s lead in a disappointing second half but Ansar held on to move up to second place.

Copyright The Daily Star 2010.