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With a 3–0 win in Bandar Seri Begawan against Brunei, Lebanon sealed a fourth victory in five matches and maintained top spot in Group B. In the other fixture, Yemen crushed Bhutan 7–1, meaning the decisive ticket will be played in March 2026 in a Lebanon–Yemen showdown… where a draw will be enough for Lebanon to secure qualification for the 2027 Asian Cup.
The ideal script for a potentially tricky trip. At the Hassanal Bolkiah National Stadium, Miodrag Radulović’s side killed the suspense early, navigated the heat and time-zone shock, and stuck to their plan: high block, clean ball circulation, regained efficiency. Just three minutes in, Malek Fakhro opened the scoring with a long-range lob after a high recovery by debutant Hussein Ezzedine. From there, Lebanon never lost control.
Merhej makes amends, Chaaban seals it
Before halftime, Samy Merhej redeemed his missed penalty with a powerful header in stoppage time, finishing off a perfect cross from captain Mohamad Haidar. After the break, Lebanon managed the tempo until the decisive corner: Haidar delivered again, Omar Chaaban – just on the pitch – rose inside the six-yard box and nodded in the 3–0. Job done, momentum confirmed, and a fifth clean sheet in a row in these qualifiers.
Solid everywhere, course maintained
Lebanon left no room for doubt. Even without the explosive Hussein Chakroun (injured) and after losing striker Ali Kassas early (off at the 15th minute, replaced by Khoder Kaddour), the team dominated the duels, shut down transitions, and held the rhythm from start to finish. Goalkeeper Mostafa Matar had a quiet night, shielded by a disciplined back line of Hussein Zein, Khalil Khamis, Walid Shour, and Mohamad Safwan. Upfront, Haidar delivered another assist and dictated the tempo, Fakhro stayed hot, Merhej showed up as a big-game player, and Chaaban delivered the perfect impact off the bench.
See you in March
In the standings, the equation is now crystal clear. With 13 points, Lebanon remain leaders ahead of Yemen, who climb to 11 after their 7–1 rout of Bhutan. The showdown is set for March 31, 2026: Lebanon vs Yemen, counted as a “home” match for the Cedars. A draw will be enough to seal a third consecutive Asian Cup qualification (the fourth in their history).
One trip, three goals, zero fear, and a simple message: steady course. Lebanon isn’t just dreaming of Asia 2027 — they’re marching toward it. One more step in March, and the horizon becomes the finish line.
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