- 04
- Dec.
- 2024
Lebanon was unable to retain its title as West Asia Under-18 Champion after a disappointing 1-1 draw against Palestine.
After an impressive victory over Saudi Arabia, the Lebanese women’s U-18 team saw their hopes of retaining their title slip away after a 1-1 draw against Palestine on the final day of the West Asia Under-18 Championship. Played in Aqaba, this match marked Lebanon’s elimination, as the team failed to replicate its past performances.
A penalizing lack of realism
Lebanon started strong with a quick goal from Sherine Hassnou in the 7th minute, with a powerful shot from outside the box. But just before halftime, Palestine equalized through Malak Barakat, taking advantage of a defensive lapse from the Lebanese. In the second half, despite clear dominance and several chances, Lebanon failed to break through, letting two valuable points slip away. This result sealed the team's fate in the tournament, marking the end of their reign as defending champions.
An underwhelming tournament
Despite a resounding victory against Saudi Arabia (4-0), Lebanon was unable to confirm their performance against Palestine. This underperformance, along with other inconsistent results, prevented the Lebanese from defending their crown won in 2019 and 2022.
Lebanese team line-up:
- Goalkeeper: Nour Hammoudi
- Defense: Waad Raad, Haya Najad (substituted by Lea El-Hajj Ali), Paula Karam
- Midfield: Ayana Rizkallah, Lama Abidine, Tatiana Kenaan
- Attack: Sherine Karnib (Elissa Hariri), Sherine Hassnou, Lynn Motran, Angelina Saadé (Yasmin Hamdar)
A future to rebuild
Lebanon exits this championship with lessons to learn and adjustments to make in order to regain its place at the top. While the team showed potential, it is clear that in-depth work is needed to come back stronger in future editions. Expectations were high, and this draw against Palestine highlights the challenges that this generation of players will have to face.
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