League

Hitchin
Spectators: 5000 (Terracing: 4000, Seating: 1000, VIP seats: 0) Hitchin's Masoud Abdul Qadir started the match with a crisp pass. The crowd had been anticipating this game for weeks and the excitement in the stadium was easily visible. When Afşin Derem came up free with the goalie in the 4th minute, the Atletico Beirut fans jumped to their feet. But the shot missed the goal by a fraction of an inch, and the fans sat back down disappointed that Afşin Derem couldn't finish the play. Thanks to some nice foot action and superb ball handling Afşin Derem in the 7th minute a chance for a shot on goal. With an extended leg and a bit of luck Talib Ghanim prevented the ball from getting in the gole. Hisham Mumtaz received a nice pass in the box and took a hard shot in the 9th minute. Talib Ghanim tensed up and prepared to dive, but the shot went over the goal with him having to interfere. Mostafa Malik took the ball and in the 11 minute, shot a rapid shot to the right of a surprised Talib Ghanim. Talib Ghanim dived to the right, and did manage to get a hand on the shot, but it still went into the right corner making it 0-1. In the 17th minute, Florencio Harri ran past the defenders and hit a shot which went straight ahead into goal. Talib Ghanim was frozen by the shot and now it was 0-2. 0-3 became the score in the 21st minute when Bassam Ghalib elegantly shot the ball into goal just under the crossbar. In the 24th minute Yin Bing shot on, it seemed, an open goal, but Talib Ghanim saw the ball coming and threw himself on it before it passed the goal line. Talib Ghanim made a wonderful reflex save on a shot from Mostafa Malik in the 29th minute of play. Afşin Derem received a nice pass in the box and took a hard shot in the 34th minute. Talib Ghanim tensed up and prepared to dive, but the shot went over the goal with him having to interfere. 38 minutes into the match, Hitchin's goal looked a bit too open when Florencio Harri came free, but Talib Ghanim reached the ball before it rolled over the goal line. 41 minutes into the match, Hitchin's Qazim Qudamah sent off a blazing shot straight on target, a shot that Farid Ayham narrowly saved just below the crossbar. 43 minutes into the match, Hitchin's goal looked a bit too open when Florencio Harri came free, but Talib Ghanim reached the ball before it rolled over the goal line. Even after changing tactics the home team jogged off the field with a 0-3 deficit. They would have to work harder if they wanted to turn things around in the second half.

The players of the home team were most fresh-looking when they entered the field to play the second half. Afşin Derem was the one to do the kick off. 50 minutes into the match, Hitchin's goal looked a bit too open when Florencio Harri came free, but Talib Ghanim reached the ball before it rolled over the goal line. The supporters of Hitchin booed when Atletico Beirut was adjudged a doubtful freekick after 53 match minutes in a wonderful position. Kamil Gulson didn't get a good kick on the ball. Hitchin's Talib Ghanim proved his good apprehension of play when he, in the 56th minute of the match, managed to save Hitchin from getting a goal against them. Talib Ghanim made a wonderful reflex save on a shot from Mostafa Malik in the 57th minute of play. Talib Ghanim didn't succeed in stopping the ball in the 58th minute, which inside left pole to 0-4. In the 62nd minute, Said Faraj hit a crossing free kick to the open man running down the field. In the 63rd minute, Atletico Beirut's Hisham Mumtaz ran free of his marker and smoothly shot the ball into the goal behind Talib Ghanim. Talib Ghanim yelled at his defense, as they had left him out to dry. 0-5. In the 71st match minute, Atletico Beirut was awarded a freekick, the ball was picked up by Mostafa Jabal to maneuver through the defense. In the 74th minute Hisham Mumtaz shot on, it seemed, an open goal, but Talib Ghanim saw the ball coming and threw himself on it before it passed the goal line. In the 76th minute Florencio Harri shot on, it seemed, an open goal, but Talib Ghanim saw the ball coming and threw himself on it before it passed the goal line. If Hisham Mumtaz had kept his shot down it would have been a goal in the 78th minute. The ball went over the crossbar and out instead. Talib Ghanim was in the perfect position, and the defense had done a good job marking him, but Mostafa Malik showcased his skills and made a perfect shot to score 0-6 in the 79 minute of play. The supporters of Atletico Beirut booed when Hitchin was adjudged a doubtful freekick after 82 match minutes in a wonderful position. Qazem Alhusain didn't get a good kick on the ball. Afşin Derem, 83 minutes into the match, dribbled the ball up the side of the field and decided to take a long shot at the goal. Unfortunately, the ball was poorly hit and landed closer to the corner than to the goal. When Afşin Derem, who was free, got the in front of the goal in the 85 minute he wasn't focused and tipped the ball just over the goal. The Talib Ghanim was delighted since the ball would have got in if it had gone under the crossbar. Mostafa Malik fired away a screaming shot towards the goal in the 87th minute, but the shot went just over the crossbar without Talib Ghanim having to interfere. The crowd rose to their feet as Atletico Beirut's Mostafa Jabal slotted home a wonderful shot that went in to the left of Talib Ghanim. That made the score 0-7 after 89 minutes of play. When Hisham Mumtaz in the 92nd play minute got the chance to kick a hard shot on goal from short distance neither the defense or Talib Ghanim kept up with the ball and suddenly the score was 0-8 when the ball slipped into goal inside the left pole. In the 95th match minute, Atletico Beirut was awarded a freekick, the ball was picked up by Florencio Harri to maneuver through the defense. Atletico Beirut played a much better game than Hitchin and deserved their victory. The Hitchin players were clearly disappointed as they left the ground.