Beirut derby

Nejmeh and Ansar were both formed in the post-World War II period. Nejmeh, Arabic for "Star", were founded in 1945 in Beirut, shortly after the independence of Lebanon. Ansar, Arabic for "the supporters", were established in 1951 outside Beirut, because the Lebanese capital already had one sports club per 10,000 inhabitants, as designated by the authorities; thus, the club set up in Mount Lebanon to the south of the city. In 1965, as Beirut’s population grew, they switched bases to the capital, establishing a rivalry between the burgundy of Nejmeh and the green of Ansar.{{Cite web|url=http://www.the-afc.com/about-afc/memberassociations/lebanon/great-asian-derbies--al-ansar-sc-vs-nejmeh-sc-beirut-39170|title=Great Asian Derbies – Al Ansar SC vs Nejmeh SC (Beirut)|website=www.the-afc.com|language=en-GB|access-date=2019-05-25}}

The Beirut Municipal Stadium played host to the inaugural Lebanese Premier League derby game between Nejmeh and Ansar on 8 December 1968, during the first leg of the 1968–69 season.{{Cite web|title=ديربي لبنان.. ملحمة كروية ممزوجة بالعنف|url=https://www.kooora.com/?n=921002|date=2020-05-04|website=كووورة|access-date=2020-05-05}} The match was won by Nejmeh 2–1. Saadeddine Berjawi scored the derby's first goal in the 10th minute for Nejmeh, with Ansar's Abdullah Tabash drawing the score in the 23rd minute. Ali Safa scored the winning goal for Nejmeh in the 80th minute.{{Cite web|url=http://arab-sports.net/%d8%b9%d8%b1%d8%b3-%d8%a7%d9%84%d8%af%d9%8a%d8%b1%d8%a8%d9%8a-%d8%a5%d8%ad%d8%b5%d8%a7%d8%a1%d8%a7%d8%aa-%d9%88%d8%a7%d8%b1%d9%82%d8%a7%d9%85-%d8%aa%d8%a7%d8%b1%d9%8a%d8%ae%d9%8a%d8%a9-%d8%a8%d8%b9/|title=عرس الديربي {{!}} إحصاءات وارقام تاريخية بعيون عرب سبورت|last=Arab-Sport.net {{!}}|date=2018-02-06|website=عرب سبورتس|language=en-US|access-date=2019-05-25}} The game was led by the referee Krikor Tchinian.{{Cite web|url=http://www.kooora.com/?n=739315|title=أرقام تاريخية قبل كلاسيكو الكرة اللبنانية|website=كووورة|access-date=2019-05-25}}

In the 1997–98 season, the Beirut Municipal Stadium hosted an important derby, with Ansar two points ahead of Nejmeh at the top of the league table. A crowd of 22,000 made their way to the stadium from the early hours of the morning and thousands more gathered outside after tickets were sold out. Ansar won the encounter 4–2, and went on to win their ninth consecutive league title.

File:Camille Chamoun Sports City Stadium 2018 - Beirut derby (Ansar fans).png fans at the Camille Chamoun Sports City Stadium during a Beirut derby in 2018]]

On 24 April 2021, the Beirut derby was once again decisive for the fate of the title, as both sides were leading the table, with Ansar having a two-point advantage over Nejmeh.{{Cite web|date=2021-04-20|title=رسميا.. تحديد موعد ديربي الحسم للدوري اللبناني|url=https://www.kooora.com/?n=1023480|access-date=2021-04-25|website=كووورة}}{{Cite web|date=2021-04-22|title=ديربي حاسم بين النجمة والأنصار على لقب الدوري اللبناني|url=https://www.kooora.com/?n=1024221|access-date=2021-04-25|website=كووورة}} The game, which was played at the Fouad Chehab Stadium in Jounieh, saw Ansar win 2–1 and win the title, in a match that saw nine yellow cards being issued.{{Cite web|title=Match Report of Al Ansar SC vs Nejmeh SC|url=https://globalsportsarchive.com/match/soccer/2021-04-24/al-ansar-sc-vs-nejmeh-sc/2341794/|url-status=live|access-date=2021-04-25|website=globalsportsarchive.com|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210425085309/https://globalsportsarchive.com/match/soccer/2021-04-24/al-ansar-sc-vs-nejmeh-sc/2341794/ |archive-date=25 April 2021 }} The two teams had already played each other in the last matchday of the season three times in decisive title-deciding games, in 2005, 2006, and 2008, all ending in draws.{{Cite web|date=2021-04-23|title=بالأرقام.. التعادل ضيف دائم في مواجهات الحسم بين الأنصار والنجمة|url=https://www.kooora.com/?n=1023335|access-date=2021-04-25|website=كووورة}} Ansar won their first league title since 2007, and their 14th overall, a domestic record.{{Cite web|date=2021-04-24|title=قرارات جاسبرت وتألق أسعد وراء ملحمة الأنصار|url=https://www.kooora.com/?n=1024804|access-date=2021-04-25|website=كووورة}} Over 15,000 Ansar fans gathered in front of the Beirut Municipal Stadium to celebrate their team's victory, despite there being preventive measures in place to combat the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic.{{Cite web|date=2021-04-24|title=بالصور.. احتفالات ضخمة لجماهير الأنصار على ملعب بيروت البلدي|url=https://www.kooora.com/?n=1024854|access-date=2021-04-25|website=كووورة}}

{{Updated|match played 23 May 2025}}

• Players in bold are still active for Ansar or Nejmeh.

• Players in bold are still active for Ansar or Nejmeh.

• One player has scored a haul (4 goals in a game): Elhadji Malick Tall (Ansar).

• Two players have scored a hat-trick (3 goals in a game): Salah Rushdy (Nejmeh) and Errol McFarlane (Nejmeh).

The rivalry reflected in Beirut derby matches comes about as Ansar and Nejmeh are the most successful football clubs in Lebanon. Ansar leads Nejmeh 40 to 36 in terms of official overall trophies.

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{{Football in Lebanon}}

{{Al Ansar FC}}

{{Nejmeh SC}}

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Category:Al Ansar FC

Category:Nejmeh SC

Category:Football rivalries in Lebanon

Category:Politics and sports

Category:Football in Beirut

Category:Recurring sporting events established in 1964

Category:Events at Camille Chamoun Sports City Stadium