A stunning seventy-ninth minute try by Youssef El Helou snatched victory from the jaws of defeat in Club Libanais's final regular season match, a thrilling two-point win against luckless AUB, who simultaneously dropped to a fourth successive loss and out of finals contention. Up 18-14 after Wael Harb's 71^st minute try, AUB were split apart by the rangy lock's rampaging run, with El Helou, outstanding on both sides of the ball, just managing to outpace the cover defence in an epic 60-metre charge to glory. It was a fitting end to a dramatic contest in which the lead changed hands three times, with both sides contributing equally to the fifth of nine matches to be decided by a one-score margin this season.

The Wolves, who have won one and agonisingly lost two by mere two-point margins, were left ruing severe lapses in concentration and discipline. In the second half, a lengthy succession of penalties meant they were under the cosh for almost the entire half, with their strong defence managing to keep CL at bay, while their only two meaningful forays into CL territory resulted in tries, first to Wael Barakat on the hour, after AUB recovered a short kick off, and then to Harb for what looked like the game clincher.

AUB opened strongly, forcing CL centre Fadi Azam into touch and setting up the position from which boom prop forward Adel Kanso sliced easily through the league leaders' defence to score after only two minutes. Both teams then settled into a gritty period in which defences were on top, but with AUB eking out the best of the territory thanks to strong displays from their front six. Just as AUB were hunting a second try the game took the first of one of its many dramatic twists when Al-Galacticos fullback Pierre Nasr shot off the goal-line, intercepted the pass from acting half and raced 80-metres up field. Three rucks later, with AUB's defence struggling to get back, five-eighth Roy Abla flicked a sweet back door offload to the supporting Ghassan Dandash, who finished off the easiest of tries. Abla's failed conversion made it 6-4 after 24 minutes. Eight minutes later, CL took the lead thanks to Anthony Ghissen's failure to deal with a last tackle bomb inside his own twenty. On the ensuing set Abla dummied then went himself to make the half-time score 8-6.

The second half was dominated by CL who, despite laying siege to AUB's red zone, were unable to break the men in red's stubborn defence until the 56^th minute when the Wolves' scrambling defence bought another outrageous Abla dummy, leaving a gap into which the Liban Espoir stand-off darted through to extend the lead. Azam's kick made it 14-6. More sustained pressure put CL in position to apply the coup de grace, but more heavy defence forced Dandash to fumble at the goal-line, handing AUB a reprieve. From the scrum, Barakat slashed to the left, drawing in stand in centre Hassan Merouwe and off-loading to Harb who streaked 70-metres to score under the posts. With nine minutes left, AUB succeeded in pinning the black-and-golds back, only for El Helou to make the play of the game and break AUB hearts.

CL, who extend their club record streak to five wins, are now guaranteed a home final in Bhamdoun, although an average winning margin of less than six points per game over the course of the season demonstrates the parity this season. Next Saturday, LAU plays Balamand in a crucial match, with both teams vying for that final spot.