AFC Challenge League
Lebanon's Nejmeh finished second in the group with six points - three behind Syria's Homs Al Fidaa SC - but the win was not enough for them to secure a place in the quarter-finals.
Nejmeh began brightly with Hassan Jaafar’s fifth minute curling free-kick giving Abdulrahman Al Harbi his first test of the game before the Al Arabi custodian made another good stop to deny Abdelaziz Knani’s first-time hit.
The Lebanon side continued to press but neither Ali Kassas nor Mohamad Haidar could get their accuracy right when presented with shooting chances on the edge of the box.
Al Arabi punished Nejmeh’s profligacy as they took the lead in the 39th minute when Ali Al Dokhi pinched the ball off Hussein Zein near the touchline and drove towards goal before laying the ball for Walid Ould-Chikh to smash home into the top corner.
Nejmeh, however, pulled level in the third minute of added time as Zein tried to make up for his error by surging into the box to shoot, only to be blocked by the frame of Al Harbi but the ball dropped nicely for Kassas to steer home the rebound.
Group B: Al Arabi SC (KUW) v Nejmeh SC (LBN)
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Anayo Iwuala’s introduction at the start of the second half gave Al Arabi more bite in attack with the Nigerian forcing a finger tip save from Mostafa Matar in the 53rd minute.
That spark did not last long for Al Arabi as Nejmeh struck again five minutes later, in a similar sequence of action to their equaliser.
Ibrahim Gbadamosi - positioned on the penalty spot - fired towards goal but the ball bounced off Al Harbi’s right leg for Haidar to pounce on the rebound and fire into the roof of the net.
Abdulaziz Nasari then added a third for Nejmeh in stoppage time with a wonderful left footed shot to keep their qualification hopes alive while sending Al Arabi out of the competition with three defeats.
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