Match Report

A controversial seventy-eighth minute try by Wolves fullback Akram Al Chamaa, off a suspected forward pass by Nemer Saliba snatched victory from the jaws of defeat on Saturday lunchtime, breaking AUB hearts in this young but increasingly intense rivalry that pitted former team-mates and family members against one another.

In arguably the most exciting finale to a match this season AUB, down 16-14, capitalized on an unforced error by stand-off Danny Kazandjian, with wing Ahmed Kamalie’s the 75th minute beneficiary. Unbowed, the Wolves recovered the ensuing short kick off and had one attack repulsed before being given another opportunity thanks to an AUB error at the play-the-ball. Saliba’s flailing offload was ruled acceptable by the touch-judge, allowing the burly Al Chamaa to dive in amidst contrasting scenes of jubilation and despair.

The exciting denouement put the gloss on what had been a much-hyped yet disappointingly disjointed affair. The Wolves, with 11 ex-AUB players in their 17, including an original Espoir in Jad El Masri, making a cameo appearance, seemed to be suffering from stage fright in the opening half an hour. Numerous mistakes handed AUB the initiative and coach Faysal Jaber must regret his side’s inability to make hay while the sun shined, with Joe Hitchon’s 7th minute opener and Sam Walsh’s two goals all they had to show. Al Chamaa’s 33rd minute try meant the Corniche-siders 8-4 halftime advantage was a poor return for their considerable superiority.

A bruising second half, which left a couple of AUB’s player dazed and was punctuated by intermittent squabbles, opened with Saliba’s soft 42nd minute try. In a match which had four lead changes, AUB struck back immediately through a Roberto Bejjani try following wing Ramzy Tawil’s error from the kick off.

The Wolves, steadily mounting some pressure, finally used their potent backs, with ex-AUBers Jad Abinassif, Al Chamaa, Karim Mourabet and Tawil, opposing his cousin Mohamed, all involved in the right wing’s well executed four-pointer that gave his side a 16-14 lead following the conversion.
The Wolves tried to run out the clock, but their habitually sloppy handling prevented them from so doing, while contributing to the dramatic conclusion.

The Wolves, edging their second successive match by a two-point margin, have now won four straight and sit in third place. AUB, meanwhile, are still in good shape. They have a game in hand, have played table-topping LAU twice while they still have matches against the bottom two. Their negative points difference, though, means the pressure is on them to chalk up some big scores.

Sin bin: Nyame Cooper (AUB), Jad Khanafer (Wolves)