Match Report

No fixture in the Lebanese rugby league calendar excites quite like Jounieh-LAU. The two sides, having fought for the last two Bank of Beirut Rugby League Championship finals, have forged a mutual enmity that seems to deepen with every match, an enmity that sees no sign of abating. In fact, their round 11 match on Saturday afternoon ended in such incendiary fashion that Iceland’s volcanic ash cloud may settle quicker than the dust kicked up by the contest’s shameful conclusion.

With undefeated LAU up by 22-0 in the 67th minute, having led by only 10-0 at the break, the game came to an abrupt and shameful end.
Jounieh, in an act of pique incomparable in Lebanese rugby league history, stunned all those present by abandoning the game and walking off the field in protest at what they perceived to be sub-par officiating.

Captain Youssef El Helou, who had already been sin-binned on 34 minutes, was penalized for a high shot to which Hadi Rahbani took offence. A minor bout of pushing and shoving ensued, ending with Rahbani and Nicolas Chammas receiving yellow cards. As this was happening injured Jounieh utility Ghassan Dandash had left his own technical area, ignoring instructions by the officials to remain on the sidelines and joining the melee. Compounding his action he then abused the referee and was duly sent off. This then triggered Jounieh’s unprecedented walk-off and signaled the end of what had been a compelling game of football.

LAU, so strong this season, has been used to teams rolling on their backs and showing the Immortals their bellies like so many pliant canines, effectively beaten before the opening kickoff. Yet against Al-Galacticos LAU knows it is facing a snarling dog with plenty of fight and no intention of rolling over. The 11-0 Immortals may well be relieved, then, that, with this act of petulance, Jounieh could have irreparably damaged the defence of their double crown.

Yellow Cards
Youssef El Helou (Jhn)
Nicolas Chammas (Jhn)
Hadi Rahbani (Lau)

Red Card
Ghassan Dandash