Libyan Premier League 2007/2008 was the 41st edition of the Libyan Premier League, the highest division of Libyan football, organised by the Libyan Football Federation.
Season summary In a more closely contested league contest than in recent seasons, Al Ittihad took until week 28 to secure their 14th league title. Al Ahly Tripoli challenged their close rivals all the way in the title race, but just four points from their last three games, including a humiliating 1-0 defeat to eventually relegated Al Tahaddy, ended their title hopes and their 29-game unbeaten record, which had lasted all year. Al Ittihad also went through the league season unbeaten. After just one defeat in the 2006-07 season, this shows signs that the Big Two are pulling even further away, proved by the 20-point gap between 2nd placed Al Ahly Tripoli and 3rd placed Al Ahly Benghazi.
2007-08 was a very successful season for Khaleej Sirte. The club won two trophies (its first major honours since the three Sirte clubs merged to form Khaleej Sirte). The club won the Libyan Confederation Cup, a newly created trophy similar to England's League Cup, before later lifting the Libyan Cup, beating Al Madina in a tense final 1-0.
At the bottom, Al Suqoor and Nojom Ajdabiya both had very poor seasons, with just 9 wins between the two sides. Al Suqoor suffered one of the worst defeats in Libyan history, as they were crushed 10-2 by A Ahli Tripoli. Al Urouba did put up a decent fight, winning 4 of their last 7 matches, nearly half of the number of wins they had obtained in their previous 23 matches. In the end, they paid the price for losing to relegation rivals.
The Relegation/Promotion play-off place was an interesting battle. Three teams were on 33 points, and it was head-to-head record that sent Al Tahaddy to their eventual relegation.
In general, the league was pretty close, with just 10 points separating 5th placed Khaleej Sirte from 14th placed (and relegated) Al Urouba.
The competition There are 16 clubs in the League. During the course of the season each clubs plays others two times, for a total of 30 games. At the end of season, the bottom three sides are automatically relegated to the Libyan Second Division, and the fourth bottom side goes into the Relegation play-off.
The winner of the LPL qualifies for the CAF Champions League, and the top two sides qualify for the Arab Champions League, while the Libyan Cup winner qualifies for the CAF Confederation Cup
Clubs Club City Stadium Ahly Benghazi Benghazi 28 March Stadium Ahly Tripoli Tripoli 11 June Stadium Akhdar Bayda Green Document Stadium Jazeera Zuwara Zuwara Stadium Nojom Ajdabiya Ajdabiya 10 March Stadium Ittihad Tripoli 11 June Stadium Madina Tripoli 11 June Stadium Nasr Benghazi 28 March Stadium Olomby Zawiya Zaawia Stadium Al Shat Tripoli Ali Alsgozy Stadium Suqoor Tobruk 2 March Stadium Tahaddy Benghazi 28 March Stadium Khaleej Sirte Sirte 2 March Stadium Wahda Tripoli GMR Stadium Urouba Ajaylat Ajaylat Stadium Tersanah Tripoli GMR Stadium
Statistics First Match: Al Ahly Tripoli vs. Nojom Ajdabiya - September 20, 2007 First Referee: Naaji al Khabaat - Al Ahly Tripoli vs. Nojom Ajdabiya - September 20, 2007 First Goal Scored: Ali Hussein Rehema for Al Ahly Tripoli against Nojom Ajdabiya - September 20, 2007 Last Goal Scored: Reyad Ellafi for Al Ittihad against Nojom Ajdabiya - July 22, 2008 First Sending Off: Aqila Bousedrah for Nojom Ajdabiya against Al Ahly Tripoli - September 20, 2007 Total Number of Goals Scored: 618 (480 matches played - average 1.2875 goals per game) Most Goals Scored by One Team: 77 goals - Al Ahly Tripoli Fewest Goals Conceded by One Team: 16 goals - Al Ittihad Most Goals Conceded by One Team: 69 goals - Al Suqoor Biggest Scoreline: Al Ahly Tripoli 10 - 2 Al Suqoor - December 12, 2007 Most Wins: 26 - Al Ittihad Most Draws: 13 - Al Madina Most Defeats: 23 - Nojom Ajdabiya
League table
Results
Top goalscorers
21 goals Abdelhameed Zidane (Akhdar) 18 goals William de Souza (Al Tahaddy) 16 goals Ahmed Saad (Ahly Tripoli) 13 goals Abdelmajid Eddine (Olomby) 12 goals Pierre Koulibaly (Ittihad) Osama al Fazzani (Ahly Tripoli) Mohamed Zubya (Ittihad) 11 goals Mahdi Karim (Ahly Tripoli)
Awards Best Foreign Player (sponsored by Libyana & Al Madar) - Mahdi Karim (Al Ahly Tripoli) Golden Boot - Abdelhameed Zidane (Al Akhdar) - 21 goals Goal of the Season - Mahdi Karim for Al Ahly Tripoli vs. Al Madina - January 4, 2008 Young Player of the Year - Sapol Mani of Al Ittihad
External links LPL 2007/2008 Standing @ Goalzz.com RSSSF overview