Football - Asian Qualifiers: Lebanon Strikes Hard and Takes the Lead of Its Group

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Football - Asian Qualifiers: Lebanon Strikes Hard and Takes the Lead of Its Group

Lebanon starts the qualifications for the 2027 Asian Cup in style with a resounding victory against Brunei (5-0). An impressive performance that propels Lebanon to the top of its group and confirms its rise under the leadership of Miodrag Radulović.

The Lebanese national team started the qualifications for the 2027 Asian Cup in the best possible way by crushing Brunei 5-0 on Tuesday evening in Al-Wakrah. This resounding victory places Miodrag Radulović’s men at the top of their group, benefiting from the draw between Yemen and Bhutan (0-0).

The match took place in the presence of the president of the Lebanese Football Federation, Hashim Haidar, and the secretary general, Jihad Al-Chahef. Before the match, Haidar motivated the players in the locker room, “Lebanon is making clear progress, and it is visible on the field. You are on the right track to restore Lebanese football to its former glory. Keep the faith, because today, there are no small teams anymore, as evidenced by the draw between Yemen and Bhutan.”

A Thunderous Start

From the kick-off, Lebanon imposed an infernal rhythm, immediately putting Brunei under pressure. The team’s domination quickly paid off: in the 5^th minute, a superb pass from Mohamad Safwan from the left side found Malek Fakhro, who catapulted the ball with his head into the left top corner. The MSV Duisburg striker thus scored his second goal for the national team.

Lebanon continued its attacking display with a second goal in the 21^st minute. On another pinpoint pass from Mohamad Safwan, Sami Merhej placed an unstoppable header to double the lead. At only 18 years old, the Deportivo Pereira striker continues to impress with six goals in six caps.

The Lebanese attack did not stop there: in the 28^th minute, Malek Fakhro bagged a brace after a precise cross from Hussein Zein. Then, five minutes later, Hussein Chakroun, the Hannover 96 winger, scored his first international goal by sending a left-footed missile into the top corner after a pass from Majed Osman (33^rd). Just before halftime, Sami Merhej nearly added another, but his header struck the post.

A Controlled Second Half

After the break, Lebanon continued to dominate without forcing too much. Several substitutions made by Radulović allowed some squad players to get game time, including Pedro Budib and Mohamad Haidar. The latter sealed the match at the very end with a stunning right-footed strike into the far top corner (90^th).

With this emphatic victory, Lebanon takes the top spot in the group with three points, one point ahead of Yemen and Bhutan.

A Night of Records

This match allowed the Lebanese players to carve their names into the record books:

Miodrag Radulović became the coach with the most goals scored under his tenure with Lebanon (66), surpassing Joseph Nalbandian and Theo Bücker (62).
Mostafa Matar, with his 10^th clean sheet, equaled Ali Fakih and Ahmad Al-Sakr for second place among the best Lebanese goalkeepers in this category.
It is the first time since 1963 that Lebanon has scored at least two goals in five consecutive matches.
After scoring four goals in the second half against East Timor and then four in the first half against Brunei, the Cedars achieved an unprecedented feat since their 8-1 win against Pakistan in 2001.
Lebanon scored five goals in an official match for the first time since the 5-0 victory over North Korea in 2017.

Focus on Yemen

With this thunderous start, Lebanon approaches its next match against Yemen, scheduled for June 10, with maximum confidence. However, coach Radulović prefers to stay grounded, “I am satisfied with the seriousness and efficiency shown tonight, but we now have to focus on Yemen, which will be a much tougher opponent.”