In the early evening of Thursday, June 15, Lebanon and India played out a 0-0 draw in the Intercontinental Football Cup 2023. Lebanon remains unbeaten in the competition (1 win, 2 draws). On the first day of the tournament, Friday June 9, Lebanon beat Vanuatu (3-1) before being neutralized by Mongolia (0-0) on Monday June 12.

For their part, host nation India are on an almost flawless run (7 points) in this round robin group phase, following their victories over Vanuatu (1-0) on Monday and Mongolia (2-0) on Friday, only conceding a draw on Thursday against Lebanon (5 points), who is considered their biggest opponent.

Earlier on Thursday, mid-afternoon, Vanuatu, who had lost their previous two matches, secured their first victory by beating Mongolia (1-0). The Asian country remains on 1 point, while the Oceanian archipelago has amassed 3 points. If Lebanon had been defeated by India, Mongolia would have been the only team capable of blocking the Cedars’ path to the final. However, Vanuatu’s success combined with Lebanon’s draw proved to be a lifesaver for the Cedars. And so, on Sunday June 18, India and Lebanon will meet again in the final of the tournament.

The Intercontinental Football Cup, also known as the Hero Intercontinental Cup for sponsorship reasons, is a four-nation tournament now in its third year. Previously known as the Nehru Cup, it is organized by the All India Football Federation (AIFF). This year, it takes place at the Kalinga Stadium in the Indian city of Bhubaneswar. The competition is played in the FIFA international window by teams from two different confederations. The four nations compete in a phase known as the Round Robin, and the two best teams (with the most points) play in the final.

This year, in addition to India, Lebanon, and Mongolia from the Asian Football Confederation (AFC), and the Vanuatu archipelago from the Oceania Football Confederation (OFC), are taking part in the competition. North Korea won the previous edition, in 2019, beating Tajikistan (1-0) in the final.

Here are the FIFA rankings of the national teams competing in the Hero Intercontinental Cup 2023 as of April 6:

 1. Lebanon 99th

 2. India 101st

 3. Vanuatu 164th

4. Mongolia 183rd.