2008–09 Lebanese Premier League
The 2008–09 Lebanese Premier League is the 48th season of Lebanon's football league. The league kicked off on October 11, 2008, Safa SC defeated Salam Zgharta at the opener. In that game, Mohammad Kassas scored the first goal of the season for Safa.
Al Ahed is the defending champion. Salam Zgharta and Shahab Al-Ghazieh promoted from the second division.
Prior to the start,
Lebanese Football Federation
confirmed the withdrawal on October 9, the league is going to resume with 11 teams.
Due to the restructuring of Asian competitions, Lebanese teams were entered into the
Arab Champions League
on the other hand would not be played.
Teams
Shabab Al-Ghazieh
.
Stadia and Locations
Beirut
Tyre
Tripoli
Sidon
Zgharta
Locations of teams in the 2008–09 Lebanese Premier League
| Club | City | Stadium |
|---|---|---|
Al Ahed
|
Beirut | Municipal Stadium |
Al Ansar
|
Beirut | Sports City |
Nejmeh
|
Beirut | Sports City |
Al Mabarrah
|
Beirut | Municipal Stadium |
Safa Sporting Club
|
Beirut | Safa Stadium |
Shabab Al-Sahel
|
Beirut | Municipal Stadium |
Tripoli SC
|
Tripoli | Olympic Stadium
|
Tadamon Sour
|
Tyre | Sour Stadium
|
Racing Beirut
|
Beirut | Fouad Shehab Stadium
|
Hekmeh FC
|
Beirut | Fouad Shehab Stadium
|
Salam Zgharta
|
Zgharta | Zgharta Stadium
|
Shabab Al-Ghazieh
|
Sidon | Saida Municipal Stadium |
Managerial changes
| Team | Outgoing manager | Manner of departure | Replaced by |
|---|---|---|---|
Al Ansar
|
 Roy Thomas
|
Sacked[1] |  Jamal Taha
|
Final standings
| Pos | Team | Pld | W | D | L | GF | GA | GD | Pts | Qualification or relegation |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Nejmeh
|
20 | 16 | 2 | 2 | 44 | 14 | +30 | 50 | 2010 AFC Cup qualification |
| 2 | Al Ahed
|
20 | 15 | 4 | 1 | 45 | 22 | +23 | 49 | 2010 AFC Cup qualification as cup winners |
| 3 | Safa SC
|
20 | 12 | 4 | 4 | 35 | 15 | +20 | 40 | |
| 4 | Al-Ansar
|
20 | 10 | 6 | 4 | 25 | 17 | +8 | 36 | |
| 5 | Shabab Al-Sahel
|
20 | 7 | 9 | 4 | 29 | 26 | +3 | 30 | |
| 6 | Al-Mabarrah
|
20 | 6 | 8 | 6 | 24 | 21 | +3 | 26 | |
| 7 | Racing Beirut
|
20 | 5 | 4 | 11 | 19 | 25 | −6 | 19 | |
| 8 | Tadamon Sour
|
20 | 4 | 3 | 13 | 20 | 37 | −17 | 15 | |
| 9 | Hekmeh FC
|
20 | 3 | 5 | 12 | 14 | 30 | −16 | 14 | |
| 10 | Shabab Al-Ghazieh
|
20 | 4 | 2 | 14 | 19 | 37 | −18 | 14 | |
| 11 | Salam Zgharta
|
20 | 2 | 5 | 13 | 14 | 44 | −30 | 11 | Relegation to the Lebanese Second Division |
| 12 | Tripoli SC
|
0 | - | - | - | - | - | — | 0[a] |
Source: [citation needed]
Rules for classification: 1st points; 2nd head-to-head; 3rd goal difference; 4th goals scored
Notes:
Rules for classification: 1st points; 2nd head-to-head; 3rd goal difference; 4th goals scored
Notes:
- Tripoli SC withdraw from the league. On October 14, 2008, the Lebanese Federation decided that Tripoli is going to relegate in the second league. Furthermore, the club was fined £L15 million for its withdrawal.
Top scorers
| Rank | Name | Club | Goals |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 |  Salih Sadir
|
Al-Ahed
|
27 |
| 2 | Mohammad Kassas
|
Safa
|
16 |
| 3 |  Ahmad Jaradi
|
Shabab Al-Sahel
|
8 |
| 4 | Ali Nasseredine
|
Nejmeh
|
7 |
| 5 | Akram Moghrabi
|
Nejmeh
|
6 |
 Tomi Jyakomilli
|
Nejmeh
|
6 | |
| 6 | Zakaria Charara
|
Nejmeh
|
5 |