Al Nejmeh SC 3-3 Tadamon SC Sour: Six-goal thriller ends all square in Beirut

Al Nejmeh SC and Tadamon SC Sour shared the points in a breathless 3-3 draw in the Lebanese Premier League on 12 October 2026, a result that will satisfy neither side's ambitions but delighted every neutral inside the Rafic Hariri Stadium. Three times the hosts led or drew level, and three times Tadamon responded, capping a night of relentless attacking football in the Lebanese capital.

Match overview

Nejmeh, one of the most decorated clubs in Lebanese football and a perennial title contender, went into the fixture expecting to control the tempo against a Tadamon side known for its resilience on the road. What unfolded instead was an open, end-to-end contest in which both defences struggled to cope with the pace of the opposition's attacking transitions.

The hosts dominated possession in the opening half hour and looked the more polished unit in build-up, but Tadamon's willingness to commit men forward on the counter kept the game balanced. By the time the final whistle blew, the statistics told the story of a genuinely even contest: a comparable share of possession, a similar number of shots on target, and six goals split evenly between two teams who refused to settle for a point.

Key moments

• 12th minute – Nejmeh take the lead: A patient passing move down the right ended with a low cross into the penalty area, converted first time to send the home support into early celebration.
• 27th minute – Tadamon equalise: A quick turnover in midfield released the away side's winger, who cut inside and curled a shot beyond the goalkeeper.
• 39th minute – Nejmeh restore the advantage: A well-worked set piece from the training ground caught Tadamon's back line flat-footed, and the header found the net.
• 58th minute – Tadamon respond again: A long ball over the top exposed the Nejmeh defence, and a composed finish levelled the score at 2-2.
• 74th minute – Tadamon turn the game around: The away side took the lead for the first time in the match, pouncing on a loose ball at the edge of the box and driving it through a crowded area.
• 88th minute – Nejmeh rescue a point: With time running out, Nejmeh pushed numbers forward and found the equaliser, a scrappy but crucial finish that sparked wild celebrations on the touchline.

Tactical story

Nejmeh set up in a possession-oriented shape, looking to circulate the ball through midfield and attack the flanks with overlapping full-backs. That approach worked well in the first half, when the Beirut club repeatedly found space between Tadamon's midfield and defensive lines. The problem came without the ball: Nejmeh's high line was repeatedly tested by direct passes, and Tadamon's front two attacked that space with real intelligence.

Tadamon SC Sour, by contrast, were happy to concede territory and strike in transition. Their mid-block compressed the centre of the pitch and forced Nejmeh wide, where crosses were often dealt with by a physically strong centre-back pairing. Every time the visitors won the ball back, they looked to release runners quickly — a plan that produced three goals and very nearly a famous away victory.

Standout performers

For Nejmeh, the attacking midfielder was the creative heartbeat of the team, linking play between the lines and delivering the set-piece that restored the lead before half-time. The centre-forward's movement in the box constantly occupied both Tadamon centre-backs and was rewarded with a goal. In defence, though, there were uncomfortable moments, and the goalkeeper had to make two sharp saves to prevent the visitors from pulling further clear.

Tadamon's best performers were their wide players, who combined pace with direct running and repeatedly turned defence into attack in a matter of seconds. The away side's midfield anchor also deserves credit for winning a series of second balls in the middle third, giving his team the platform to counter so effectively.

What the result means

The draw leaves both clubs with mixed emotions. Nejmeh will view it as two points dropped on home soil, particularly having led early and equalised late, and will be concerned about the defensive lapses that have now cost them in consecutive fixtures. Tadamon, meanwhile, will take genuine encouragement from a performance that demonstrated they can go toe-to-toe with one of Lebanese football's traditional powerhouses away from home.

In the wider Lebanese Premier League standings, the result keeps both teams firmly embedded in the mid-to-upper reaches of the table, with the title race and the battle for continental qualification still wide open. Recent head-to-head meetings between these two have rarely been du