Safa SC
| Full name | Al-Safa' Beirut Sporting Club | ||
|---|---|---|---|
| Nickname(s) | The Yellows Rockets | ||
| Founded | 1939 | ||
| Ground | Safa Stadium, Beirut – Lebanon (Capacity: 10,000) | ||
| Chairman |  Issam Al-Sayegh | ||
| Head Coach |  Valeriu Tița | ||
| League | Lebanese Premier League | ||
| 2012-13 | 1st (Champion) | ||
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Al-Safa' Beirut SC (in Arabic نادي الصفاء الرياضي بيروت) (fullname Safa' Beirut Sporting Club) is a Lebanese sports club based in Wata El-Museitbeh, Beirut. In English the name Safa' الصفاء means clarity. The club receives its support primarily from the Druze community.[1][2] It became one of the elite teams in Asia after making it to the finals of the AFC Cup in 2007.
History
Early years
Founded in 1939, Safa' Beirut SC (Nadi al-Safa' al-Riyadi Beirut) started playing football on a private field located in Wata El-Museitbeh, Beirut. The club main interest was to practice the game officially.
In 1948, Safa' Beirut SC 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 (Fédération Libanaise de Football Association) and was ranked within the second division.
In 1961, Safa' Beirut SC was promoted to the first division. Safa' Beirut SC had one of the best coaches: Samir Saad. He left the team in 2008. Samir made history for the club as he led them to their first AFC Cup final.
Safa' was a very strong team back in the 1990s; behind Nejmeh and Al Ansar, this team was able to shine. Despite everything, Al-Safa needs more effort to go back to the old days. Many Safa' members saw that the Lebanese Premier League itself needs to improve its performance vis-à-vis all Lebanese players.
In the 1990s and at the beginning of the 21st century, Al Safa' Club showed that it is a persistent team that can pose problems and threats to top level teams. It won the Lebanese cup twice in 1964 and 1986. Located in Beirut, the Safa' stadium can include 4,000 seated people.
Al Safa' proved itself as an extremely strong team throughout the 1990s with an emphasis on forward tactics. The team succeeded in scoring many goals in several games. It was known for the fact that its players were driven towards the attack.
In 2009, led by their new coach Evan, Safa' Beirut SC made a new achievement by winning the Lebanese Elite Cup for the first time in their history and this marked their first official championship since 23 years.
Founders
Maher Wahab, Anis Naaim, Hasib Al-Jerdi, Amin Haidar, Shafik Nadir, Toufik Al-Zouhairy, Adib Haidar.
Stadium
- Name: Safa Stadium.
- Opened: 1948.
- Owner: Safa' Beirut SC.
- Location: Wata El-Museitbeh, Beirut.
- Transport: 5 Minutes from Beirut Rafic Hariri International Airport.
- Seating Capacity: 4,000 Spectators.
- Tickets: Sold at Main Gate.
- Surface: Artificial Grass (Part of the FIFA "Goal Project" that was approved on 22 September 2004).
Honours
- Champions - 2011-12, 2012-13
- Winners 1964-65, 1986-87, 2012-13
- Winners - 2008-09, 2011-12
Tournaments
- Aley Cup: 1972, 1974
- Al Adha Tournament: 1979, 1984
- 16 March Tournament: 1983, 1984
Performance in AFC competitions
- AFC Cup: 3 appearances
- AFC Cup Winners Cup: 2 appearances
Current squad
Note: Flags indicate national team as defined under FIFA eligibility rules. Players may hold more than one non-FIFA nationality.
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Reserve squad
Note: Flags indicate national team as defined under FIFA eligibility rules. Players may hold more than one non-FIFA nationality.
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Notable former managers
Notable former players
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Kit Manufacturer
References
- ^ Montague, James (24 October 2007). "In Lebanon, even soccer is tainted by sectarian strife". The New York Times. Retrieved 15 October 2010.
- ^ Alami, Mona (1 September 2009). "Religious about football". Retrieved 15 October 2010.