Club Libanais edged towards a first ever final appearance courtesy of this tough and tense victory over Balamand in the north. If LAU defeat AUB in Saturday's West Beirut derby the black and golds are mathematically in the final, while an AUB victory will mean both the Wolves and Razorbacks can still finish on eight points and edge out CL on points difference. For and against will almost certainly be a factor in determining at least one finals place, such has been the tightness of matches this season.

Friday's match, like several others this season, went down to the wire, with Balamand hammering frantically away on CL's goal line but coming up short. Trailing 16-10 in the dying stages, Balamand play-maker Omar Darwiche had an opportunity to score adjacent to the posts, but knocked on his own chip and chase. Several other Razorback raids were repulsed as CL's scrambling defence held firm, protecting a lead that had been fashioned in the last quarter of the match on the back of grit and toil rather than panache.

Al-Galacticos started poorly, giving away a penalty on the opening set and regularly failing to clear its own half when in possession. Hammered 7-2 in the first half penalty count, only their robust defending kept them in a game that was big on defence. Both teams showed good line speed as they tried to shut down the opposition halves; and there were some big hits, too, with CL prop Sassine Samarani knocked out cold. Balamand's Lebanon front row forward Amin Maassarani gave his side the lead on 20 minutes through a typically bullish run. Nine minutes later Balamand, whose exciting brand of harum scarum off-load football caused CL problems all night, were in again. Diminutive hooker Darwich Darwiche, who tormented CL in the season opener to the tune of four tries, was back to haunt the visitors, slicing through from dummy-half to score from 10-metres. Al-Galacticos had one gilt-edged scoring chance in the half, following a knock on direct from the kick off, but Balamand's defence held them at bay.

Held scoreless in the first half, the second saw a complete turnaround in scoring as CL's big forwards, led by Cedar tourist Youssef El Helou, upped the ante. One of the rangy lock's numerous half breaks was well supported by star signing Hassanien Saleh who made another 30 metres to set up CL's best attacking position of the night. On the last tackle Balamand lock Wael Tawil was sin-binned for a professional foul and direct from the penalty tap mountainous front row Amer Hachem charged over to register his first ever try. Roy Abla's kick made it 10-6.

Almost immediately CL threatened again. Prop Ahmad Masri, who continued his terrific form this season, burst through the middle of UOB's line, only to be cut down two metres short by Mo Habbous. One ruck later CL looked to have engineered their second four-pointer when El Helou and Abla combined to get the ball to right wing Gaby Haddad, who somehow fumbled over the line under pressure. Balamand then wrestled momentum back but were unable to crack  the defence, and on 63 minutes Al-Galacticos drew level. Halfbacks Danny Chemaly and Abla got the ball wide to fullback Pierre Nasr who disregarded his wide support players to slice through to score. Three minutes later Nasr scored the winning try in trademark fashion. Arguably the league's best player this season, Nasr, whose constant menace returning kicks and tireless work rate have been instrumental in CL's form, broke through the middle of Balamand's tiring and deflated defence, galloping 50-metres to score under the posts.