Al Jaish advanced as the best second-placed team on the fairplay rule after being tied with Kuwait SC on points and goal difference. However, a lower yellow card count took the Syrian side through to a semi-final against Al Jazeera of Jordan, the Group B winners.
After a cagey start, the deadlock was finally broken in the last minute of the first half through Mohammed Al Wakid.
Abdulmalik Al Anizan played a cute pass for Ahmed Ashkar on the right and the winger squared for Al Wakid to sweep home the opener from inside the six yards box.
The goal meant Al Jaish went into the dressing rooms with the knock-out stage ticket temporarily theirs as the other Group A fixture between Al Wehdat and Hilal Alquds was goalless at the break in Amman.
Nejmeh had only scored two goals in the 2019 AFC Cup so far, the first of which came through Hassan Maatouk against Hilal Alquds two weeks ago. Maatouk was again the man to produce the goods, doing so in style 11 minutes into the second half.
The Lebanese national team’s all-time top scorer collected Amir Hossari and dribbled his way past two Syrian defenders before curling into the far corner of Al Jaish’s net for the equaliser.
Joy was short-lived for the Nejmeh supporters as their goalkeeper Abbas Hasan committed a mistake three minutes later. A cross from Ashkar looked to have been caught by Hasan, but he spilled the ball allowing Bassel Moustafa the chance to follow through, tapping into the empty net to restore Al Jaish’s lead.
There was still room for more action in the game as Nejmeh skipper Ali Hamam took advantage of the Syrian defence’s failure to clear Abou Bakr Al Mel’s cross and stabbed the ball into the back of the net to equalise for Nejmeh in the 67th minute.
The result, coupled with Al Wehdat’s 2-0 win over Hilal Alquds, means Al Jaish finish second with 10 points, while Nejmeh just avoid ending the campaign with zero points, but remain bottom of the group.
