Safa SC explained

Clubname:Safa
Upright:0.7
Fullname:Safa Sporting Club
Nickname:Arabic: النسور (The Eagles)[1]
Short Name:Safa
Ground:Safa Stadium
Capacity:4,000
Chairman:Riad Atallah
Manager:Bassem Marmar
Website:https://safasc.com/
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Current:2023–24 Lebanese Premier League

Safa Sporting Club is a football club based in Wata El Msaytbeh, a district in Beirut, Lebanon, that competes in the . Founded in 1939, they have won three league titles, three domestic cups, one Super Cup, and two Elite Cups; they also reached the 2008 AFC Cup final.[2]

Safa is primarily supported by the Druze community.[3] [4] Given their fanbase extends well in Mount Lebanon, including the city of Aley, they play the Mountain derby with Akhaa Ahli Aley.

History

Early history (1933–1961)

Founded in 1933 at an amateur level in the Wata El-Museitbeh of Beirut, Safa Sporting Club was officially established in 1939 by seven people: Maher Wahab, Anis Naaim, Hasib Al-Jerdi, Amin Haidar, Chafik Nader, Toufik Al-Zouhairy and Adib Haidar.[5]

On 23 December 1948, Safa obtained the official membership and license from the government as a private association. In the same year, the club was affiliated to the Lebanese Football Association and was ranked within the Second Division.[6] In 1961, Safa was promoted to the First Division.

Recent history (2021–present)

After finishing the 2021–22 Lebanese Premier League in 11th place, Safa were due to be relegated to the Second Division for the first time.[7] However, following Shabab Bourj's withdrawal from the league, they were relegated in place of Safa.[8] Safa also narrowly avoided relegation the following season, finishing 10th above Salam Zgharta on account of their positive head-to-head record.[9]

Kit manufacturers

The following is a list of kit manufacturers worn by Safa.

!Period!Kit manufacturer
1999–2008Puma
2008–2010Adidas
2010–2011Lotto
2011–2015Joma
2016–2017Sportika SA
2017–2018Jako
2018–presentJoma

Stadium

Stadium Name:Safa Stadium
Native Name:ملعب نادي الصفاء الرياضي
Native Name Lang:ar
Location:Wata El-Museitbeh
Opened:1948
Seating Capacity:4,000

See main article: Safa Stadium. The Safa Stadium opened in 1948, and has a capacity of 4,000 spectators. Located in the Wata El-Museitbeh district of Beirut, the stadium is five minutes from the Beirut–Rafic Hariri International Airport. While the stadium is of Safa's property, the club plays in various other stadiums around the country.

Club rivalries

Safa has important rivalries with Ansar and Nejmeh, both being based in Beirut. Safa also plays the Mountain derby with Akhaa Ahli,[10] as Akhaa is based in Aley, a city in Mount Lebanon, and Safa's support comes from the Druze community in Lebanon, who mainly live in Chouf and Aley districts.

Players

Current squad

[11]

Notable players

Players in international competitions!Competition!Player!National team
1996 AFC Asian CupYasser Sibai
2000 AFC Asian CupYoussef Mohamad
Ahmad Naamani
2019 AFC Asian CupAhmad Taktouk
Mohamed Zein Tahan
2023 AFC Asian CupHassan Chaitou

Honours

Domestic

Continental

Other achievements

Performance in AFC competitions

5 appearances

2008

Final

2009

Round of 16

2012

Group stage

2013

Group stage

2014

Round of 16

2 appearances

1992–93

Withdrew in first round

2000–01

Withdrew in first round

Managerial history

See also

External links

Notes and References

  1. Web site: بعزيمة النسور الصفاء يعود من صيدا بثوب البطل. Arab-Sport.net . 13 October 2017. عرب سبورتس. en-US. 24 April 2019. 19 March 2022. https://web.archive.org/web/20220319143813/http://arab-sports.net/%d8%a8%d8%b9%d8%b2%d9%8a%d9%85%d8%a9-%d8%a7%d9%84%d9%86%d8%b3%d9%88%d8%b1-%d8%a7%d9%84%d8%b5%d9%81%d8%a7%d8%a1-%d9%8a%d8%b9%d9%88%d8%af-%d9%85%d9%86-%d8%b5%d9%8a%d8%af%d8%a7-%d8%a8%d8%ab%d9%88%d8%a8/. live.
  2. Web site: AFC Cup 2017: Match day one - Playoff and group stage preview Goal.com. www.goal.com. en. 31 March 2019. 31 March 2019. https://web.archive.org/web/20190331160421/https://www.goal.com/en-in/news/afc-cup-2017-match-day-one-playoff-and-group-stage-preview/76qiccpxvxv31o3rx1t2o22vp. live.
  3. News: In Lebanon, even soccer is tainted by sectarian strife. Montague. James. 24 October 2007. The New York Times. 15 October 2010. 17 February 2015. https://web.archive.org/web/20150217182627/http://www.nytimes.com/2007/10/24/sports/24iht-CUP.1.8030583.html. live.
  4. Web site: Religious about football. Alami. Mona. 1 September 2009. dead. https://web.archive.org/web/20110419190012/http://www.nowlebanon.com/NewsArchiveDetails.aspx?ID=111940. 19 April 2011. 15 October 2010. dmy-all.
  5. Web site: فريق: الصفاء بيروت. www.kooora.com. 2019-07-20. 5 April 2018. https://web.archive.org/web/20180405052734/http://www.kooora.com/?team=1273. live.
  6. Web site: منتديات كووورة. 2020-12-27. forum.kooora.com. 2 September 2021. https://web.archive.org/web/20210902173133/https://forum.kooora.com/f.aspx?t=25817126. live.
  7. Web site: 2022-05-17 . بالصور: الصفاء اللبناني يهبط لأول مرة في تاريخه . 2022-05-17 . كووورة . 17 May 2022 . https://web.archive.org/web/20220517164516/https://www.kooora.com/?n=1139850 . live .
  8. Web site: شطب كافة نتائج شباب البرج وإسقاطه إلى الدرجة الثانية . 2022-06-03 . Elsport News . ar . 17 July 2023 . https://web.archive.org/web/20230717105418/https://www.elsport.com/news/show/650578/%D8%B4%D8%B7%D8%A8-%D9%83%D8%A7%D9%81%D8%A9-%D9%86%D8%AA%D8%A7%D8%A6%D8%AC-%D8%B4%D8%A8%D8%A7%D8%A8-%D8%A7%D9%84%D8%A8%D8%B1%D8%AC-%D9%88%D8%A5%D8%B3%D9%82%D8%A7%D8%B7%D9%87-%D8%A5%D9%84%D9%89-%D8%A7%D9%84%D8%AF%D8%B1%D8%AC%D8%A9-%D8%A7%D9%84%D8%AB%D8%A7%D9%86 . live .
  9. Web site: 2023-03-22 . اتحاد كرة القدم اللبناني يصدر قرارات حاسمة . 2023-05-29 . كووورة . 29 May 2023 . https://web.archive.org/web/20230529133117/https://www.kooora.com/?n=1225628 . live .
  10. Web site: جولة دربي الجبل... وملامسة اللقب. Al-Joumhouria. 2019-05-24. 19 June 2019. https://web.archive.org/web/20190619192650/http://www.aljoumhouria.com/news/index/460751. dead.
  11. Web site: Safa SC. 8 October 2022. Global Sports Archive. 28 September 2022. https://web.archive.org/web/20220928002136/https://globalsportsarchive.com/team/soccer/safa-sc/16377/. live.
  12. Web site: Diab. Rami Abou. 2020-11-09. Safa SC appoint new coach. 2020-11-09. FA Lebanon. en-GB. 9 November 2020. https://web.archive.org/web/20201109164702/https://www.falebanon.com/safa-sc-appoint-new-coach/. live.