The Lebanese women's futsal team suffered a 3-0 defeat against Palestine on Wednesday at the Nonthaburi Hall (Thailand) during the third round of the 2025 Asian Futsal Cup qualifiers, which will take place in China. This loss seriously complicates the Lebanese team's chances of qualification.
Early Advantage for Palestine
In the third minute, Palestine took the lead with a superb direct free kick from Hala Sraoui, which found the top corner of the net. Despite this early goal, Lebanese goalkeeper Elit Tanous made several key saves, notably denying Dima Al-Ramahi's attempt.
Lebanon Struggles to Capitalize on Opportunities
Slowly, the Lebanese players began to dominate possession as the first half progressed. However, attempts from Malak Hoteit, Sophie Fayyad and Amal Salha lacked precision and failed to break through the Palestinian defense.
After the break, Lebanon started with more aggression, and Riwa Ezeddine came close to equalizing with a shot that grazed the post. However, a lack of defensive concentration in the 25th minute allowed Nour Youssef to double Palestine's lead from a well-executed corner.
Lebanon Perseveres but Palestine Seals the Win
Pushed to attack and reduce the deficit, the Lebanese team opted for offensive pressing in power play. However, this strategy left spaces that were exploited by Nour Youssef, who scored her second goal in an empty net in the 39th minute, sealing the Palestinian victory.
Lebanese Coach’s Reaction
After the match, Lebanon's coach, Maroun Khoury, expressed his disappointment, “We apologize for this disappointing result. Despite adequate preparation, we failed. We will give everything we have in the remaining two matches, although our chances of qualification are now reduced. If we do not succeed, I will step down after this mission, having given everything without reaching the desired goals.”
Group Standings
After three rounds, Bahrain leads with 4 points from 2 matches, followed by Palestine with 4 points from 3 matches. Thailand is in third place with 3 points, while Lebanon and Iraq are at the bottom with 1 point each.
Upcoming Matches
On the fourth match day, scheduled for Friday, Lebanon will face Iraq (11:30 AM Beirut time), and Bahrain will play against Thailand.
Summary of Previous Matches
- Day 1: Lebanon 1-1 Bahrain, Iraq 1-1 Palestine.
- Day 2: Bahrain 9-5 Iraq, Thailand 8-1 Palestine.
The top two teams from each group, along with the best third-place finisher, will qualify for the finals, joining defending champions Iran, vice-champions Japan and host China.
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