2021–22 Lebanese Premier League

The 2021–22 Lebanese Premier League is the 60th season of the Lebanese Premier League, the top Lebanese professional league for association football clubs since its establishment in 1934. The league started on 11 September 2021.

Lebanese Premier League
Season2021–22
Dates11 September 2021 – 5 May 2022
Matches played84
Goals scored189 (2.25 per match)
Top goalscorerFadel Antar (10 goals)
Best goalkeeperMostafa Matar (10 clean sheets)
Biggest winShabab Bourj 6–0 Sagesse
(9 January 2022)
Shabab Sahel 0–6 Ansar
(10 March 2022)
Highest scoringShabab Bourj 6–0 Sagesse
(9 January 2022)
Shabab Sahel 0–6 Ansar
(10 March 2022)
2022–23
All statistics correct as of 20 March 2022.

It is the second season to feature a "split" format, following its introduction in the 2020–21 season, where the season is divided into two phases. Ansar are the defending champions, having won their 14th title in 2020–21.

Summary

Regulations

Each club has to involve one player under the age of 22 for at least 600 minutes, two players for at least 800 combined minutes, and three players for at least 1,200 combined minutes.[1] Also, each club is allowed a maximum of eight players over the age of 30, with only five being able to be fielded in a game.[1] In case a club is to not meet the required number of minutes at the end of the season, they will have three points deducted from their total in the league.[1]

Due to the economic situation in Lebanon, no foreign players were allowed to play in the league in the first half of the season.[2] In the second half, teams were allowed to contract one foreign player, for the first time since October 2019.[3]

Format

Following its introduction in the 2020–21 season, the 2021–22 season consists of two phases: in the first phase, each team plays against one another once.[2] In the second phase, the 12 teams are divided into two groups based on their position in the first phase; the teams carry over their point tally from the first phase.[4] After the first phase is completed, clubs can not move out of their own half in the league, even if they achieve more or fewer points than a higher or lower ranked team, respectively.[4]

The top six teams play against each other twice, as opposed to the previous season where they played each other once;[2] the champion automatically qualify to the 2023–24 AFC Champions League qualifying play-offs—assuming they meet the criteria set by the Asian Football Confederation (AFC).[5] The runners-up instead directly qualify to the 2023–24 AFC Cup group stage—as long as the champions meet the AFC criteria for the AFC Champions League.[2] The bottom six teams also play against each other twice, with the bottom two teams being relegated to the Lebanese Second Division.[2]

Events

Following Nejmeh's refusal to play Ahed on 9 January 2022, the Lebanese Football Association decided to assign a 3–0 walkover to Ahed, deducted 6 points from Nejmeh, and fined them LL10 million.[6] Nejmeh's decision not to play came as a form of protest against the refereeing in their game against Tadamon Sour one week prior.[6]

Teams

Twelve teams compete in the league – the top ten teams from the 2020–21 Lebanese Premier League season and the two teams promoted from the Lebanese Second Division.

Stadiums and locations

Locations of the 2021–22 Lebanese Premier League teams
Beirut Lebanese Premier League clubs

Prior to the start of each season, every team choose two stadiums as their home venues. In case both stadiums are unavailable for a certain matchday, another venue was used.

Note: Table lists in alphabetical order.
Team Location Stadium Capacity
Ahed Beirut (Ouzai) Ahed Stadium[note 1] 2,000
Akhaa Ahli Aley Aley Amin AbdelNour Stadium 3,500
Ansar Beirut (Tariq El Jdideh) Ansar Stadium[note 1] N/A
Bourj Beirut (Bourj el-Barajneh) Bourj el-Barajneh Stadium[note 1] 1,500
Nejmeh Beirut (Ras Beirut) Rafic Hariri Stadium[note 1] 5,000
Safa Beirut (Wata El-Museitbeh) Safa Stadium[note 1] 4,000
Sagesse Beirut (Achrafieh)
Shabab Bourj Beirut (Bourj el-Barajneh) Bourj el-Barajneh Stadium[note 1] 1,500
Shabab Sahel Beirut (Haret Hreik) Shabab Al Sahel Stadium[note 1] N/A
Sporting Beirut (Ras Beirut) Rafic Hariri Stadium[note 1] 5,000
Tadamon Sour Tyre Sour Municipal Stadium 6,500
Tripoli Tripoli Tripoli Municipal Stadium 22,000

Foreign players

Lebanese clubs were allowed to contract a foreign player for the second half of the season.[3]

Team Player
Ahed Ahmed Akaïchi
Akhaa Ahli Aley Dennis Tetteh
Ansar Ichaka Diarra
Bourj Bersyl Obassi
Nejmeh Pedro Kadri
Safa Nicholas Cofie
Sagesse Boucounta Sarr
Shabab Bourj
Shabab Sahel Christian Obiozor
Sporting Junior Mala
Tadamon Sour
Tripoli Joseph Ansah

League table

Pos Team Pld W D L GF GA GD Pts Qualification or relegation[lower-alpha 1]
1 Ahed 14 11 3 0 25 3 +22 36 Qualification for AFC Champions League qualifying play-offs
2 Bourj 14 9 5 0 19 6 +13 32 Qualification for AFC Cup group stage
3 Shabab Sahel 14 7 2 5 24 22 +2 23 Standby team for AFC Cup group stage
4 Ansar 14 6 4 4 24 11 +13 22
5 Tadamon Sour 14 3 5 6 12 14 2 14
6 Shabab Bourj 14 4 2 8 16 25 9 14
7 Tripoli 14 7 2 5 18 16 +2 23
8 Nejmeh[lower-alpha 2] 14 6 6 2 19 9 +10 18
9 Akhaa Ahli Aley 14 3 3 8 9 17 8 12
10 Sporting 14 3 2 9 11 20 9 11
11 Sagesse 14 3 2 9 7 26 19 11 Relegation to Lebanese Second Division
12 Safa 14 2 4 8 5 20 15 10
Updated to match(es) played on 20 March 2022. Source: Global Sports Archive
Rules for classification: 1) Points; 2) Head-to-head points; 3) Head-to-head goal difference; 4) Goal difference; 5) Goals scored; 6) Draw.
Notes:
  1. Teams play each other once (11 matches), before the league is split into two groups (the top six and the bottom six).
  2. Nejmeh forfeited in matchday 9 and were deducted 6 points.

Season statistics

As of match played 20 March 2022[7]

Top scorers

Rank Player Club Goals
1 Fadel Antar Shabab Sahel 10
2 Mahmoud Siblini Nejmeh 7
3 Mohamad Kdouh Ahed 6
4 Ahmad Hijazi Ansar 5
Karim Darwich Ansar

Hat-tricks

PlayerForAgainstResultDate
Fadel AntarShabab SahelSafa5–0[8]18 September 2021
Fadel Antar4Shabab SahelTripoli4–1[9]25 September 2021
Mahmoud SibliniNejmehAkhaa Ahli Aley3–0[10]11 March 2022
Notes

4 Player scored 4 goals

Most assists

Rank Player Club Assists
1 Mohamad Jaafar Shabab Sahel 7
2 Ahmad Hijazi Ansar 4
Fadel Antar Shabab Sahel
Hassan Maatouk Ansar

Clean sheets

Rank Player Club Clean
sheets
1 Mostafa Matar Ahed 10
2 Nazih Assaad Ansar 7
Hassan Moghnieh Bourj
4 Ali Sabeh Nejmeh 6
5 Ahmad Korhani Tripoli 5
3 Omar Idlibi Safa 4
Shaker Wehbe Akhaa Ahli Aley

Notes

  1. Only used as a training ground

References

  1. "الاتحاد اللبناني يعلن عن قرارات حاسمة". كووورة. 24 June 2020. Retrieved 24 June 2020.
  2. Abou Diab, Rami (25 June 2020). "The new regulations for the Lebanese Premier League". FA Lebanon. Retrieved 25 June 2020.
  3. "10 أندية تستعين بالأجانب قبل استئناف الدوري اللبناني". كووورة. 8 February 2022. Retrieved 9 February 2022.
  4. "هل يُمكن أن يُحسم اللقب قبل الدورة السداسية؟". lebanonfg.com. Retrieved 28 October 2020.
  5. Abdallah, Rakan (1 August 2020). "What are the criteria for a Lebanese club to play in the Champions League?". FA Lebanon. Retrieved 10 August 2020.
  6. "الاتحاد اللبناني يخسّر النجمة أمام العهد ويغرمه". كووورة. 11 January 2022. Retrieved 11 January 2022.
  7. "Lebanese First Division 2021/2022". Global Sports Archive. Archived from the original on 26 September 2021. Retrieved 20 March 2022.
  8. "Shabab Al Sahel FC vs Safa SC". FA Lebanon. 18 September 2021. Retrieved 13 October 2021.
  9. "Shabab Al Sahel FC vs AC Tripoli". FA Lebanon. 25 September 2021. Retrieved 13 October 2021.
  10. "Match Report of Al Akhaa Al Ahli SC Aley vs Nejmeh SC - 2022-03-11 - Lebanese First Division - Global Sports Archive". globalsportsarchive.com. Retrieved 12 March 2022.
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