Al Ansar's title run began on seven-a-side pitches during wartime, coach says

Aug 12 - Al Ansar were forced to train on seven-a-side pitches after war brought the Lebanese Premier League to a standstill, a challenge coach Sami El Choum said helped shape the club's title-winning campaign.

After the season began in September 2025, Al Ansar secured the Lebanese title earlier this month despite a 105-day interruption caused by the war, which erupted after a U.S.-Israeli attack on Iran in late February triggered a wider regional conflict.

The war forced many residents to flee southern Lebanon and prompted the Lebanese Football Association to suspend all competitions.

"We trained on seven-a-side pitches, moving from one location to another because Al Ansar's stadium, located in Beirut's southern suburbs, was not accessible due to the security situation," El Choum told Reuters in a phone interview.

"Most of the players were living in southern Lebanon and commuting to Beirut. The club provided accommodation for some, while others continued travelling back and forth from their villages," he added.

"Mentally it was an extremely difficult period, but the players still had to train to earn their salaries and support their families".

The 44-year-old coach said some players were unable to train regularly throughout the week during the crisis because of difficulties related to "travel and safety", adding that "several players helped displaced teammates by hosting them in their homes".

Al Ansar's stadium was turned into a shelter for people displaced by the conflict.

SURVIVING THE RESTART

In April, Al Ansar travelled to Kyrgyzstan to face Muras United Manas in the AFC Challenge League with limited preparation after several foreign players left Lebanon following the outbreak of the war.

A 3-0 defeat was not the only setback for Al Ansar in Central Asia, with head coach Dragan Jovanovic unable to return to Lebanon afterwards, forcing assistant coach El Choum to take charge of training.

The Lebanese league resumed in June, prompting Al Ansar to recall their foreign players. However, their six-point lead was cut to two before they secured a record-extending 16th top-flight title with a 2-1 win over Nejmeh in the final championship-phase match.

El Choum said Al Ansar's struggles after the restart were understandable given the heat and humidity of the Lebanese summer, difficult pitch conditions and a demanding schedule that required the team to play every three days.

"At Al Ansar, you are expected to perform, deliver results and win before the match has even kicked off, but as a former player I'm used to that pressure, and thankfully we managed to win the league title," El Choum said. REUTERS