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The Lebanese and Qatari national football teams met on the 12th of January at the Lusail Stadium at 6:00 PM local time in what was the first match of the 2023 Asian Cup. The Cedars were defeated 3-0 by the defending champions and hosts, Qatar, despite a great defensive outing.
Even before the game, Lebanon knew that facing Qatar was going to be a challenge they should be ready for, as Qatar is the defending champion and host of this year’s Asian Cup. With this in mind, the Lebanese men were facing a contender in their first game.
Qatar started the game on the front foot, given that they had a couple of shots on target in the opening minutes. As these minutes went by, it was obvious that the defending champions wanted to keep possession, and their Lebanese counterparts focused on pressing and counterattacking.
Qatar’s aggressive and possession-based type of football almost paid off in the fifth minute, as they had a goal deemed offside. This showed the Lebanese national team that their opposition could easily threaten them.
For the next 15 minutes, both teams were relentless, and the game looked more evenly matched, with the ball being won and lost many times in the midfield.
In the 20th minute, both teams exchanged dangerous chances. Qatar won a free-kick outside the box and threatened the Lebanese goal, but the keeper, Mostafa Matar, was up to the task. Shortly after, the captain, Hasan Maatouk, had a difficult shot saved by the Qatari keeper, Barsham. Five minutes later, the Lebanese team had another shot on target, which seemed to trouble the keeper.
The Qataris kept knocking on the door, and the Lebanese would not answer. The Lebanese defense kept firm against the fast-paced attacks of the defending champions. The rest of the half was all about Qatar attacking and Lebanon defending with precision and passion.
However, the Qataris were able to finally find a gap in Lebanon’s defense at the very end of the first half, as Akram Afif scored in the 45th minute. Even though the first half ended on a bitter note, it is worth noting that Lebanon showed a very respectable performance against the hosts. Despite having only 26% of the possession, the Lebanese men were able to hit the target twice in the first half, compared to Qatar’s three times.
Al Moez Doubles the Deficit
Ten minutes after halftime, Qatar was able to double their lead through a header by their striker Al Moez (55’). Things were looking increasingly difficult for the Lebanese team, which defended their goal so effectively up until the 45th minute. The second goal was an even bigger blow in this match.
At the 1 hour mark, Qatar were looking more and more comfortable in the game, as Lebanon was getting gradually pulled away from it. The hosts were still getting a fair share of the ball, as the Lebanese were relying on the few opportunities they came across and getting some shots on target, desperate at times. The next 15 minutes did not tell a different story, with the ball swinging between the two parties without any big chances to report.
On the 80th minute, Omar Chaaban, a striker for the English club AFC Wimbledon, was able to get in a dangerous position in front of the Qatari goalkeeper but could not convert this chance. At this point, the Lebanese team was trying to pull a goal back to still have a shot in this game.
The coming minutes showed that Lebanon had a great conviction to score and that their forward play was getting increasingly better. The match may have ended 3-0 in favor of Qatar, but Lebanon showcased an exciting display at the defensive end in the first half and at the attacking end in the second half.
The referee added 10 minutes as extra time, as there were many injuries during that match. Lebanon still believed and attacked, while Qatar sat back and defended their clean sheet. One player that was very noticeable was obviously Omar Chaaban, who showed great attacking positioning after coming off the bench.
At the 96th minute, Akram Afif took off in a sprint as he dribbled past the fatigued Lebanese defense, which could not contain him. Therefore, Afif scored his second goal, making the score 3-0 and eliminating any hope for a Lebanese comeback.
The match may have ended with a 3-0 score, but that score did not fully represent the Lebanese team’s performance, which relentlessly tried to stop the opposition and score on the other end. This specific performance can leave the supporters all but disappointed, as it showed that Lebanon may not be the best, but it is still capable of being organized defensively and offensively.
An Emotional Ceremony
This game was also characterized by a special opening ceremony, one that won’t be forgotten any time soon. The Qatari captain began with a speech and then stopped to let the captain of the Palestinian national team have a word about unity and solidarity, given the ongoing events in Gaza.
This match, whether Lebanon won, drew, or lost, was of great importance. The national team has been through many challenges and rough patches during the past few years and has still found a way to qualify for the Asian Cup.
With a prolific lineup and Radolovic as its head coach, the national team looks to be settled and sorted for the following years and ready for the upcoming challenges, the next one being China.
