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3. Nejmeh Continues Its Winning Streak in the AFC Challenge League

The Lebanese club, Nejmeh, recorded a second consecutive victory in the group stage of the AFC (Asian Football Confederation) Challenge League, defeating Paro FC 2-1 on Tuesday at Changlimithang Stadium in Thimphu, Bhutan. This success, achieved amidst the ongoing war that severely impacts Lebanon, highlights the resilience of the country and its exceptional fighting spirit. With this performance, Nejmeh takes the lead in the group with 6 points, drawing closer to qualification for the next round.

As a reminder, the AFC Challenge League 2024-2025 is the inaugural edition of this third-tier Asian club football competition. Organized by the AFC, it features clubs from across Asia that excelled in their respective leagues during the previous season. The winner of the Challenge League qualifies for the group stage of the AFC Champions League 2025-2026.

Nejmeh in action
From the opening whistle, Nejmeh demonstrated its intent to control the game by dominating possession and dictating the pace. The first clear opportunity came in the 11th minute with a powerful shot from Mohammed Safwan that grazed the crossbar. Shortly after, Collins Opare tested goalkeeper Milos Cupic, but his shot was saved (16th minute).

Paro, although on the defensive, responded through William Okubo, whose attempt also sailed over the goal (22nd minute).The Lebanese pressure finally paid off in the 39th minute when Rabih Ataya delivered a pinpoint cross to Hassan Kourani, who opened the scoring with an unstoppable shot, rewarding his team's offensive efforts. In the second half, Nejmeh continued to dominate but failed to capitalize immediately. Kourani missed a golden opportunity to double the lead by shooting wide (50th minute), while Paro attempted to get back into the match with a shot from Opoku that grazed the post (65th minute).

In the closing minutes, both teams made tactical changes: Nejmeh sought to preserve its lead while Paro desperately tried to equalize. The Lebanese efforts were rewarded again in the 87th minute when Mahdi al-Zein took advantage of a decisive pass from Mohammed Sadek to score a second goal. Despite a late surge from Paro marked by a goal from Marco Ivanovic in stoppage time (90+6), Nejmeh held firm to secure a valuable victory.

This success places Nejmeh in a favorable position ahead of their final group match against East Bengal on Friday. A new victory would almost guarantee the Lebanese club a spot in the quarter-finals, where group leaders and the best runner-up will advance further in the competition. It is worth noting that Nejmeh had already kicked off this campaign with a 1-0 win against Bashundhara Kings, while East Bengal and Paro ended their match in a 2-2 draw.