In a stark display of Beirut's complex reality, the Lebanese Premier League's opening day on Friday afternoon unfolded against a backdrop of an evolving war.
As football fans flocked to stadiums, Israeli forces struck Al Dahiyah Al Janubiyeh, eliminating Ibrahim Aqel, a high-ranking Hezbollah commander, mere minutes from one of the ongoing matches.
The current rising tensions between Israel and Hezbollah are escalating as the battles expand from Northern Israel and Southern Lebanon to more areas in the Cedars Land.
Only seven minute drive from Al Dahieh, where Hezbollah’s commander was elimintated by Israel as the new season kicked off. Shabab A-Sahel and Hekmeh faced each other at Al Safa Stadium on Friday afternoon (Photo courtesy: Lebanese Football Association)
Al Riyadi Al Abbasiyah - Tadamon Tyre 1-2
Up north, Tadamon Tyre clinched a thrilling 2-1 win over Al Riyadi Al Abbasiyah away.
Al Abbasiyah took the lead in the 56th minute via Hallak Khoder, but Tadamon sealed their victory with two late goals by Guilherme Farias Dos Santos in the 89th and the 91st minutes.
Shabab A-Sahel - Hekmeh (Sagesse) 0:2
At Al Safa Stadium in Beirut, Hekmeh (Sagesse) faced off against Shabab A-Sahel in a small Beirut derby, unaware of the chaos at the Dahieh. Hekmeh dominated, securing a 2-0 victory with goals in each half. Alioune Faye scored in the 20th minute, while Babe Dieng notched a penalty in the 72nd minute. Hekmeh’s players’ fluid play and clinical finishing contrasted sharply with the tense atmosphere permeating the city.
As news of Aqel's demise spread through whispers and furtive phone checks, the juxtaposition of jubilant celebrations and somber realization became palpable. The seven-minute drive separating Al Safa Stadium from the strike site embodied Beirut's daily tightrope walk between normalcy and conflict.
The Lebanese Premier League's opening day, typically a cause for unbridled excitement, instead served as a poignant reminder of the country's resilience. In a city where the beautiful game coexists with harsh geopolitical realities, football once again provided a fleeting escape, even as the shadows of conflict loomed large.
