The Lebanon national football team will play its second match in Group A of the AFC Asian Cup against China tomorrow at 14:30 Beirut time, at Al Thumama Stadium in Doha, Qatar. Lebanon aims to overcome the setback of the opening match against Qatar while holding on to its ambitions of qualifying for the Round of 16. This goal is within reach if Lebanon wins against the Chinese team, which would place them in a comfortable position before their third and final match against Tajikistan on the 22nd of this month.
Lebanon's chances of achieving their first victory in the continental tournament seem promising, as the result of their first match did not reflect their performance. They deserved a better outcome given their organized play and ability to create opportunities. However, a lack of efficiency made a difference, as the Qatari side scored from the same number of chances created by the visitors.
This is precisely what Montenegrin coach Miodrag Radulović has focused on since the first training session following the match against "Al Annabi." He indicated in a press conference today that he is considering making tactical adjustments, starting with resting some players who exerted significant effort in the first game "for the sake of ensuring continuous vitality and the ability to execute both defensive and offensive tasks."
Changes from Radulović might begin with the defense, especially after left-back Nassar Nassar sustained a pull in the adductor muscle of his left thigh, creating doubts about his participation in the match against China. However, Radulović is likely to concentrate his efforts on offense, as the team needs to compensate for their initial loss. He mentioned in the press conference: "We created 5 or 6 scoring opportunities, and at this level, you should score from every two chances. We did not do this, but I am convinced that we will be better in this aspect tomorrow, and indeed I am optimistic about tomorrow’s match."
Midfielder and forward Bassel Grady, in response to a question about his expectations from the match against the "Dragon," said: "I know that Chinese football is good. I play in Asia and certainly respect China, but when we enter the field, we have 100% belief that we can win against them; otherwise, we wouldn't be here. That's what I know about China, and I hope it will be a good match for us."
Meanwhile, the Lebanese crowd has started preparing for the match through intensive calls urging community members to attend and support the team. Notably, a Lebanese school informed parents that tomorrow will be a short school day to allow students to attend the match and cheer for their national team. This is something that the "Men of Cedar" are counting on, as they await supporters in a match against a Chinese team eager to snatch the three points after having drawn goalless in their first match against Tajikistan.
**Match Numbers: Lebanon vs. China**
After 5 previous encounters, Lebanon and China will meet for the first time on neutral ground. After announcing his retirement from international play, captain Hassan Maatouk will leave the team with the longest career in its history, spanning 17 years, 11 months, and 19 days, ahead of former captain Reda Antar, who represented Lebanon for 17 years, 7 months, and 11 days. Following the opening match against Qatar, Mohamed Haidar became the second player in the team's history to reach 90 international matches. After starting in the first match of the Asian tournament, Nour Mansour has become the ninth Lebanese player with the most international appearances, equaling the record of former star Artan Ghazarian with 66 international matches. After announcing the record attendance for the opening match of the Asian Cup, Lebanon played before the largest crowd in its history, reaching 82,490 spectators.
