Al Mahalah Tripoli
Encyclopedia
Almahala Tripoli is a Libya
n football
club based in Tripoli
, Libya
. The club won two Libyan Premier League
titles in a successful period in the late 1990s. The club finished 2nd in 1997, and followed this with two back-to-back titles, in seasons 1997-98 and 1998-99. The club's home strip is orange, and the away strip is black.
2-0 on January 31, 1999. However, two weeks later, they won 3-0 in the second leg in Tripoli
to set up a First Round tie with eventual finalists ES Tunis. The first leg at the 11 June Stadium was a tense affair, with the Tunisian side winning 2-1. Two weeks later they lost 2-0 at Stade El Menzah
, as they bowed out of the competition 4-1 on aggregate.
However, the 1998-99 season proved to be just as fruitful domestically. Al Mahallah won the league title again, and thus secured qualification to the 2000 CAF Cup, where they met the Egyptian club and eventual runners-up Ismaily. Ismaily ran out 5-1 victors at the Ismailia Stadium
, but Al Mahallah salvaged pride in the second leg, as they won 3-2. This was Ismaily's only defeat in the competition.
Almahalla participated in the CAF Cup again in the 2001 edition of the competition, where they met the Senegalese outfit ASEC Ndiambour
. Mahallah won the first leg 2-1, but later lost 2-0 in Louga, going out 3-2 on aggregate.
in the 2001-02 season, and has failed to come anywhere near that level since. The club was even relegated to the Libyan Third Division
, and has only recently returned to the second tier. In the 2006-07 season, their first back in the Second Division, the club finished 9th in Group A, avoiding relegation by 6 points; last season, they made a great improvement, and finished 5th in Group B. They have made a great start to this season's competition, winning five of their first 6 matches. As of the end of Round 7, they sit top of Group A, with 19 points from 7 games.
Above is the club's line up for their away game against Al Harati on December 2, 2008
Round 2 - November 11, 2008 Al Yarmouk
0 - 0 Al Mahalah
Round 3 - November 18, 2008 Almahalla1 - 0 Libya Railway
Round 4 - November 24, 2008 Al Ittihad Gharyan 3 - 4 Almahalla
Round 5 - November 28, 2008 Almahalla 2 - 1 Al Mahdiya
Round 6 - December 2, 2008 Al Harati 0 - 1 Almahalla
Round 7 - December 12, 2008 Al Mahalah 4 - 2 Abi al Ashar
Round 8 - December 16, 2008 Al Heyad 0 - 1 Almahalla
As of December 19, 2008
Libya
Libya is an African country in the Maghreb region of North Africa bordered by the Mediterranean Sea to the north, Egypt to the east, Sudan to the southeast, Chad and Niger to the south, and Algeria and Tunisia to the west....
n football
Football (soccer)
Association football, more commonly known as football or soccer, is a sport played between two teams of eleven players with a spherical ball...
club based in Tripoli
Tripoli
Tripoli is the capital and largest city in Libya. It is also known as Western Tripoli , to distinguish it from Tripoli, Lebanon. It is affectionately called The Mermaid of the Mediterranean , describing its turquoise waters and its whitewashed buildings. Tripoli is a Greek name that means "Three...
, Libya
Libya
Libya is an African country in the Maghreb region of North Africa bordered by the Mediterranean Sea to the north, Egypt to the east, Sudan to the southeast, Chad and Niger to the south, and Algeria and Tunisia to the west....
. The club won two Libyan Premier League
Libyan Premier League
The Libyan Premier League is the highest division of Libyan football championship, organised by Libyan Football Federation. The players that play in this league are mainly professional...
titles in a successful period in the late 1990s. The club finished 2nd in 1997, and followed this with two back-to-back titles, in seasons 1997-98 and 1998-99. The club's home strip is orange, and the away strip is black.
Glory Years: Late 1990s
During the late 1990s, Almahalla started to build a strong team. They got considerably stronger as the decade, and obtained a mid-table finish in the 1996-97 season. Just one season later, the club, barely 20 years old, and recently promoted, won the title, giving them a place in the 1999 CAF Champions League. They defeated the Chadian champions AS Coton Chad 3-2 in the preliminary round, losing the first leg away in N'DjamenaN'Djamena
N'Djamena is the capital and largest city of Chad. A port on the Chari River, near the confluence with the Logone River, it directly faces the Cameroonian town of Kousséri, to which the city is connected by a bridge. It is also a special statute region, divided in 10 arrondissements. It is a...
2-0 on January 31, 1999. However, two weeks later, they won 3-0 in the second leg in Tripoli
Tripoli
Tripoli is the capital and largest city in Libya. It is also known as Western Tripoli , to distinguish it from Tripoli, Lebanon. It is affectionately called The Mermaid of the Mediterranean , describing its turquoise waters and its whitewashed buildings. Tripoli is a Greek name that means "Three...
to set up a First Round tie with eventual finalists ES Tunis. The first leg at the 11 June Stadium was a tense affair, with the Tunisian side winning 2-1. Two weeks later they lost 2-0 at Stade El Menzah
Stade El Menzah
Stade El Menzah is a multi-purpose stadium, located in the north of Tunis, Tunisia. Built in 1967, it has a maximum seating capacity of 45,000. It also has other minor complementary athletic facilities...
, as they bowed out of the competition 4-1 on aggregate.
However, the 1998-99 season proved to be just as fruitful domestically. Al Mahallah won the league title again, and thus secured qualification to the 2000 CAF Cup, where they met the Egyptian club and eventual runners-up Ismaily. Ismaily ran out 5-1 victors at the Ismailia Stadium
Ismailia Stadium
The Ismailia Stadium is located in Ismailia, Egypt and has a total capacity of 18,525, after the remodelation in 2009. It is used by Ismaily SC, and was one of six stadiums to be used in the 2006 African Cup of Nations, held in Egypt....
, but Al Mahallah salvaged pride in the second leg, as they won 3-2. This was Ismaily's only defeat in the competition.
Almahalla participated in the CAF Cup again in the 2001 edition of the competition, where they met the Senegalese outfit ASEC Ndiambour
ASEC Ndiambour
ASEC Ndiambour is a Senegalese football club based in Louga, which is part of the Senegal National League 2 Poule A . -History:They played 2009 in the top division in Senegalese football...
. Mahallah won the first leg 2-1, but later lost 2-0 in Louga, going out 3-2 on aggregate.
Relegation and Stagnation
The club was relegated from the Libyan Premier LeagueLibyan Premier League
The Libyan Premier League is the highest division of Libyan football championship, organised by Libyan Football Federation. The players that play in this league are mainly professional...
in the 2001-02 season, and has failed to come anywhere near that level since. The club was even relegated to the Libyan Third Division
Libyan Third Division
The Libyan Third Division is the third tier of Libyan football, organised by the Libyan Football Federation.-System:The clubs are sorted into regional groups. The top team in each region is promoted to the Libyan Second Division. Some of the bigger regions The Libyan Third Division is the third...
, and has only recently returned to the second tier. In the 2006-07 season, their first back in the Second Division, the club finished 9th in Group A, avoiding relegation by 6 points; last season, they made a great improvement, and finished 5th in Group B. They have made a great start to this season's competition, winning five of their first 6 matches. As of the end of Round 7, they sit top of Group A, with 19 points from 7 games.
Libyan Second Division (Group A)
Round 1 - November 4, 2008 Almahalla 7 - 2 Al Dhahra Bani WaleedAl Dhahra Bani Waleed
Al Dhahra Bani Waleed is a Libyan football team based in Bani Walid, central Libya. The club plays its home games at Bani Walid Stadium. The club currently plays in the Libyan Second Division , having been promoted from the Libyan Third Division last season....
Round 2 - November 11, 2008 Al Yarmouk
Al Yarmouk
Al Yarmouk is a Libyan football club based in janzour, near Tripoli. The club is playing in the Libyan Second Division for the 2008-09 season...
0 - 0 Al Mahalah
Round 3 - November 18, 2008 Almahalla1 - 0 Libya Railway
Libya Railway
Libya Railway or Sikat al Hadid is a Libyan football team based in Sabratha, western Libya. The club plays its home games either at Ajelaat Stadium or Sabratah Stadium. The club currently plays in the Libyan Second Division having been promoted from the Libyan Third Division the year before....
Round 4 - November 24, 2008 Al Ittihad Gharyan 3 - 4 Almahalla
Round 5 - November 28, 2008 Almahalla 2 - 1 Al Mahdiya
Round 6 - December 2, 2008 Al Harati 0 - 1 Almahalla
Round 7 - December 12, 2008 Al Mahalah 4 - 2 Abi al Ashar
Round 8 - December 16, 2008 Al Heyad 0 - 1 Almahalla
League Position
Group AAs of December 19, 2008
| Place | Team | Played | Won | Draw | Lost | Goals Scored |
Goals Conceded |
+/- | Points | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1. | Almahalla | 8 | 7 | 1 | 0 | 20 | 8 | +12 | 22 | |
Honours
- Libyan Premier LeagueLibyan Premier LeagueThe Libyan Premier League is the highest division of Libyan football championship, organised by Libyan Football Federation. The players that play in this league are mainly professional...
: 2- Champion : 1998, 1999
- Libyan SuperCupLibyan SuperCupThe Libyan Super Cup is a Libyan football championship contested between the winners of the Libyan Premier League and the Alfatih Cup. The game is played at the beginning of the following season, and signals the beginning of the domestic year. The Super Cup was a two-legged final in 1997 but became...
: 1- Winner : 19981998 Libyan Super CupThe 1997 Libyan Super Cup was a football match that took place on Tuesday, November 24, 1998 between LPL winners Al Mahallah and Libyan Al Fatah Cup winners Al Shat. This was the second edition of the competition, and as this was an all-Tripoli final, the match was played at the 11 June Stadium. Al...
- Winner : 1998
Performance in CAF competitions
- CAF Champions LeagueCAF Champions LeagueThe CAF Champions League is an annual international club football competition run by the Confederation of African Football . The top club sides from Africa's football leagues are invited to participate in this competition, which is the premier club football competition on the continent and the...
:
-
- 1999 - First Round
- CAF CupCAF CupThe CAF Cup was an annual competition organised by the CAF for domestic leagues runner-ups of member associations who haven't qualified to one of the two pre-existing CAF international club competitions the African Cup of Champions Clubs or the African Cup Winners' Cup.-Format:Only runner-ups of...
: 2 appearances
-
- 2000 - First Round
- 2001 - First Round