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The South Asian Football Federation (SAFF) has invited Lebanon and Kuwait to take part in its 2023 championship, to be held in Bangalore in central India. This championship, commonly known as the SAFF Cup, began on Thursday, June 22 with the group phase, and is due to end on Tuesday, July 4 with the final. This international tournament is played in two groups of four teams each (eight nations in total). Lebanon has been drawn in Pool B with the Maldives, Bangladesh and Bhutan, while Pool A includes Kuwait, host country India, Nepal and Pakistan.
On Wednesday, Lebanon faced the Maldives in the third and final round of the group phase. In the first half, Lebanon looked more dangerous and kept up tremendous pressure on the Maldives defence. After several wasted chances, Lebanon’s captain Hassan Maatouk opened the score with a magnificent free-kick (1-0, 24th minute). Following this goal, the Lebanese team built up its confidence and continued to attack. The Maldives had two shots on goal, but both were saved by the Lebanese keeper. After the break, the second half was just as intense as the first, with both sides missing numerous chances. Lebanon had the upper hand during the game, with Hassan Maatouk sparing no effort: not only did he shine in attack, but also in defence. The Maldives also made several attempts, but their efforts were not enough to penetrate the Lebanese defence. In addition, during the second half, Lebanese player Karim Darwich received the first yellow card of the match, because of a nasty challenge on Yousouf. Later, a Maldives player was also booked for keeping the ball at his feet for too long. After a goalless final period, the match ended with a Lebanese victory over the Maldives (1-0).
Lebanon finishes top of Group B
It’s been a great run for Lebanon, who had already qualified for the semi-finals to be played on Saturday, July 1. They finished their group phase unbeaten and at the top of the standings (9 points), with three wins in three matches. In previous encounters, Lebanon beat Bangladesh (2-0) in the tournament opener, then won against Bhutan (4-1) in its second match. On the final day of the first round, Nepal beat Pakistan 1-0 on Tuesday, while India and Kuwait played out a 1-1 draw. The latter two countries, 1st (Kuwait) and 2nd (India) in their group, have also qualified for the semi-finals.
On Saturday, Lebanon will face India in the Final Four of the tournament. An opponent they know well, having played them twice in the recent Intercontinental Cup, also held in India. The two countries played out a 0-0 draw in the round robin phase, before India and Lebanon met again in the final of the Intercontinental Cup, which the Indians won (2-0) against the Lebanese. Meanwhile, Kuwait is waiting to find out who it will face in the semi-finals.
