Qatar Vs Lebanon

AFC Asia Cup: Qatar Vs Lebanon

by

The AFC Asia Cup begins today with Qatar Vs Lebanon in Lusail Stadium. Qatar wants to defend its Asia Cup Crown their campaign began today. Qatar became the center of global football in December 2022 when Lionel Messi led Argentina to FIFA World Cup glory after 36 years at the Lusail Stadium. The host will enter the tournament, eyeing not just the bragging rights of hosting it for a record third time but also as the defending champion.

Lebanon is inconsistent, but it will be Dangerous if the defending champions become complete in this match. For Qatar, home advantage could count for something considering they head into the tournament no longer the underdogs but one of the main contenders, especially given they are the defending champions. In 2019 Qatar defeated the United Arab Emirates 4-0 in the semifinal. In the finals, they defeated Four-time AFC Asia Cup champions Japan convincingly with a score line of 3-1. Qatar’s last three victories against the lesser opposition in Afghanistan, India, and Cambodia.

Qatar Vs Lebanon, teams for AFC Asia Cup

Qatar Squad

Goalkeepers: Saad Al Sheeb, Meshal Barsham, Salah Zakaria

Defenders: Al Mahdi Ali, Lucas Mendes, Boualem Khokhi, Pedro Miguel, Tarek Salman, Sultan Al Beraik, Homam Al Amin, Bassam Al-Rawi

Midfielders: Ahmed Fathi, Jassim Gaber, Abdelaziz Hatem, Hassan Al Haydos, Ali Asad, Mohammed Waad, Mustafa Meshal, Khaled Mohammed

Forwards: Ahmed Al Janhi, Ahmed Alaa, Akram Afif, Yousif Abdurazaq, Al Moez Ali, Ismail Mohammed, Khalid Muneer

Lebanon Squad

Goalkeepers: Mehdi Khalil, Mostafa Matar, Ali Sabeh

Defenders: Maher Sabra, Nour Mansour, Nassar, Hussein Zein, Robert Melki, Kassem El Zein, Hassan Samih Chaitou

Midfielders: Yahya El Hindi, Hilal El-Helwe, Mohamad Haidar, Felix Michel, Mouhammed-Ali Dhaini, Jihad Ayoub, Walid Shour, Daniel Lajud, Ali Tneich, Bassel Jradi, Hassan Srour

Forwards: Hassan Maatouk, Soony Saad, Omar Chaaban, Ali Al Haj, Gabriel Bitar

AFC Cup: Teams to Watch

Japan is clear Favorites to win the AFC Asia Cup for a record to 5th time. The resources of the highest-ranked FIFA team (17th) at the Asian Cup are so strong that Japan’s coach, Hajime Moriyasu, has been able to leave out Lazio midfielder Daichi Kamada. Waturo Endo, who has seamlessly switched from Stuttgart to Liverpool this season, will provide the core stability in Japan’s midfield and is a proven. performer. Japan have appeared in five of the last eight finals so, at whatever stage they are met, they will be the team to beat.

South Korea wants to close the gap with Japan. South Korea won this title twice. In 2019 South Korea was eliminated by Qatar who won that tournament last time. Son Heung-min, Kim Min Jae, and Lee Kang-in are the trio of star names for South Korea.

Saudi Arabia shook the world when they beat Argentina 2-1 in the group stages of World Cup 2022. The Saudi Pro League underwent a huge transformation in 2023 with the arrival of Cristiano Ronaldo, Sadio Mane, and Neymar headlining an importation of talent that lifted the competition to a new level. That uplift will, in turn, have had a trickle-down effect on the Saudi players already plying their trade in the league.

Iran stands at rank 22 two places above the South Korea. Iran Historically won three AFC Asia cup in 1968, 1972 and 1976. Since then, they have never reached the final.  Iran cannot be regarded as underdogs or dark horses at any stage of the event.

Qatar is the defending champions will rightly brim with confidence in this edition, for which they have the additional strength of home advantage. That is an edge that many nations across the years will attest to, but it can also come with a heavy weight. The 3-1 win in the 2019 final against Japan upset the odds and handed Qatar their first Asian Cup triumph.

Leave a comment