At the start of Day 15 of the league championship, Ahli Tripoli obtained a 1-0 victory at Shat that helped them get the three points needed to regain the runner up position and put some pressure on rivals Ittihad who hold on to a two-point lead with two games in hand.

Shat v Ahli Tripoli 0-1
(Hawassi 52’)

Victory was attained with a strike from Moroccan Younes al Hawassi seven minutes into the second half. It was enough to help them overcome an embarrassing position against a team that needs poitns to try and climb out of the relegation zone.

Shat held out well in the first half, restricting their visitors to just a few long range efforts as Ahli struggled to get going. Despite having the better share of play, the visitors failed to unduly trouble Naser al Khatroushi in the Canaries’ goal.

The second half brought more urgency from Ahli as they strived to cut the lead at the top to just two points. They took the lead when youngster Muhammad Issa split the defence with a brilliant ball over the top that found al Hawassi; the striker, out at a tight angle on the left, slotted the ball past al Khatroushi into the far corner to delight the team’s supporters.

Chances were few and far between as Ahli saw the game out wisely; Shat’s task was only made harder by the unnecessary sending off of Osama al Baani just after the hour.

Whle Ahli improved their position close to Ittihad, Shat enter the mid-season break in 14th place with Najma and Swaihili yet to play this week. They need to turn their season around to stay up.

Khaleej Sirt v Darnes 1-3
(al Harak 90+2’) ( Sa’eed, Boukhatwa, Braibish)
Darnes picked up their first away win of the season, as they comfortably defeated a lacklustre Khaleej Sirt 3-1 at the March 2 Stadium in Sirt.

After a fairly uneventful first 45 minutes on the central coast, the visitors, who dominated possession throughout, took the lead when Khalifa Boukhatwa’s brilliant reverse pass found Oulie Kofé, who pulled back for al Harari Sa’eed to shoot past Saif Eddine al Waa’er.

The lead was doubled ten minutes later when the brilliant Boukhatwa’s tricks were too much for Abubakr al Harak, as the winger cut inside and curled home on his left foot.

The hosts pulled one back when al Harak atoned for his earlier error by heading in Husaam al Janafi’s cross in stoppage time.

With Khaleej pouring forward in search of an equaliser, however, they were left exposed at the back, and Wajdi Braibish stole in to stroke home a third.

Victory helped Darnes to moe up to sixth after four wins from their last five, compared to one win in their previous ten games; Khaleej slip to eighth, and seem to be struggling for form after their long win streak earlier in the season.

Bara Taufik