Safa SC

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Safa
Al-Safa' SC.png
Full nameSafa Sporting Club
Nickname(s)النسور (The Eagles)[1]
Founded31 March 1939; 82 years ago (31 March 1939)
GroundSafa Stadium[a]
Capacity4,000
ChairmanGhazi Chaar
ManagerMohammad Dakka
LeagueLebanese Premier League
2020–21Lebanese Premier League, 5th of 12
Current season

Safa Sporting Club (Arabic: نادي الصفاء الرياضي, lit.'The Purity Sporting Club') is a football club based in Wata El-Museitbeh, a district in Beirut, Lebanon, that competes in the Lebanese Premier League. Founded in 1939, they won three league titles, three domestic cups, one Super Cup, and two Elite Cups; they have also reached the 2008 AFC Cup final.[2]

Safa primarily receives its support from Wata El-Museitbeh, as well as the Druze community all over Lebanon.[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[]

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.[5] 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.

Kit manufacturers[]

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

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

Stadium[]

Safa Stadium
ملعب نادي الصفاء الرياضي
LocationWata El-Museitbeh
Coordinates33°52′29″N 35°29′31″E / 33.87472°N 35.49194°E / 33.87472; 35.49194
Capacity4,000
Opened1948

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,[7] 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[]

As of 18 October 2021[8]

Note: Flags indicate national team as defined under FIFA eligibility rules. Players may hold more than one non-FIFA nationality.

No. Pos. Nation Player
1 GK Lebanon LBN
3 Lebanon LBN
4 DF Lebanon LBN
6 MF Lebanon LBN
7 DF Lebanon LBN Mohamad Zein Tahan (captain)
8 FW Lebanon LBN
9 FW Lebanon LBN
10 MF Lebanon LBN Ahmad Jalloul
11 MF Lebanon LBN
14 MF Lebanon LBN
17 FW Lebanon LBN Rony Azar
18 MF Lebanon LBN
No. Pos. Nation Player
20 MF Lebanon LBN
21 MF Lebanon LBN
23 DF Lebanon LBN
23 State of Palestine PLE
26 MF Lebanon LBN
27 FW Lebanon LBN
30 DF Lebanon LBN
70 FW Lebanon LBN
71 FW Lebanon LBN
72 GK Lebanon LBN
77 MF Lebanon LBN
99 Lebanon LBN

Out on loan[]

As of 1 October 2020

Note: Flags indicate national team as defined under FIFA eligibility rules. Players may hold more than one non-FIFA nationality.

No. Pos. Nation Player
GK Lebanon LBN (at Shabab Bourj until 30 June 2021)[9]

Notable players[]

Players in international competitions
Competition Player National team
1996 AFC Asian Cup Yasser Sibai  Syria
2000 AFC Asian Cup Youssef Mohamad  Lebanon
Ahmad Naamani  Lebanon
2019 AFC Asian Cup Ahmad Taktouk  Lebanon
Mohamed Zein Tahan  Lebanon

Honours[]

Domestic[]

Continental[]

Asian record[]

2008: Final
2009: Round of 16
2012: Group stage
2013: Group stage
2014: Round of 16
1992–93: Withdrew in first round
2000–01: Withdrew in first round

Managerial history[]

See also[]

Notes[]

  1. ^ Only used as a training ground

References[]

  1. ^ Arab-Sport.net | (13 October 2017). "بعزيمة النسور | الصفاء يعود من صيدا بثوب البطل". عرب سبورتس. Retrieved 24 April 2019.
  2. ^ "AFC Cup 2017: Match day one - Playoff and group stage preview | Goal.com". www.goal.com. Retrieved 31 March 2019.
  3. ^ Montague, James (24 October 2007). "In Lebanon, even soccer is tainted by sectarian strife". The New York Times. Retrieved 15 October 2010.
  4. ^ Alami, Mona (1 September 2009). "Religious about football". Archived from the original on 19 April 2011. Retrieved 15 October 2010.
  5. ^ a b "فريق: الصفاء بيروت". www.kooora.com. Retrieved 20 July 2019.
  6. ^ "منتديات كووورة". forum.kooora.com. Retrieved 27 December 2020.
  7. ^ "جولة دربي الجبل... وملامسة اللقب". Al-Joumhouria. Retrieved 24 May 2019.
  8. ^ "Safa SC". Global Sports Archive. Retrieved 18 October 2021.
  9. ^ Mahfoud, Maroun (28 August 2020). "Shabab Al Bourj signs 3 new players". FA Lebanon. Retrieved 12 October 2020.
  10. ^ Diab, Rami Abou (9 November 2020). "Safa SC appoint new coach". FA Lebanon. Retrieved 9 November 2020.

External links[]

Retrieved from ""