LBN vs IND highlights 1-0, King’s Cup 2023: El Zein goal guides Lebanon to third place; India loses second match on the trot

A Kassem El Zein goal guides Lebanon to a 1-0 win against India. The Cedars finish third in the tournament.

A disappointing campaign for India as it loses its second match in the King’s Cup 2023.

Sandesh Jhingan after the match - “Of course, we are disappointed we didn’t win. We dominated the whole match. I need to see the goal again, if it was offside, it’s a joke. Last game, it was never a penalty. IF this one is offside, it’s a joke. I hope it’s onside because if it’s not, it’s a horrendous decision....”

India had a last chance to equalise from a corner but Chhangte’s delivery is cleared away. That is probably it for the Blue Tigers.

Time for India to throw the kitchen sink. A minute left for the Blue Tigers to force the match into penalties.

Chhangte lobs in a brilliant cross from the right flank, to find Rohit Kumar at the far-post. Khalil came off his line to collect but could not. All Kumar had to do was head the ball on target but he fails to do so. Lebanon keeps its lead.

The sky has opened and the rain is pelting down at the 700th Anniversary Stadium. Any late mistake, which can get India back into the match?

Lebanon subs: IN- Srour, Kourani OUT- Tneich, Sabra

Seven minutes added at the end of the second-half!

Brandon crosses inside the box but the cross is dealt with by Lebanon and the initial ball is cleared.

Booking: Karim Darwich awarded a yellow card for his challenge on Mahesh.

A chance for India to make something from the freekick.

India is running out of time. The fatigue is visible among the Blue Tigers.

Al Haj sends another excellent cross inside the box that is met by a Ayoub header. The power was there but the header goes over the crossbar.

Khalil comes out to play the ball but is deceived by the bounce. Khalil sees the ball go past him but scrambles back in time to collect it before Rahul could get a touch.

India looks to reply immediately after conceding. Chhangte and Nikhil show some nice interplay as the former cuts in and shoots at the goal. But the effort is high and wide.

The goal comes from a corner. Al Haj delivers a cracking ball inside the box. Sabra towers over everyone to get a header away at goal, that is saved excellently by Gurpreet. The rebound, however, falls to Al Zein, who finds the net with a bicycle kick to give Lebanon a late lead. That was a striker’s finish by the centre-back.

The Indians are protesting for possible offside but to no avail.

As the match nears it last quarter, the match is balanced right now. Anybody can grab that late goal, which can prove to be the winner.

Lebanon sub: IN- Ali Al Haj OUT- Haidar

The captain’s armband goes to Nader Matar.

Brandon gets well to get a pass away under pressure. Rahul KP tries to reach the ball but the pass has too much on it, as Khalil comes out and collects.

India sub: IN- Rahul KP OUT- Sahal

Akash’s backpass to Gurpreet is horribly underhit and Darwich looks to pounce on the loose ball and score the opener. But, Gurpreet reads the danger and comes out to make a solid clearance.

India subs: IN- Suresh, Rohit OUT- Manvir, Jeakson

Lebanon subs: IN- Darwich, Zein OUT- Jradi, Moughrabi

Anwar Ali takes a shot from distance but miscues his effort as the shot is well off-target.

Mahesh makes a darting run on the left flank and drives a cross in, with the hope of finding Manvir in the middle. But Kassem El Zein does well to anticipate the ball and make the clearance.

There is a halt in play as Moughrabi gets some medical attention. It not anything serious but he should be okay to continue.

A chance for Lebanon as a cross is delivered from the left flank by Saad. Haidar is the intended target but he does not time his run well and is flagged offside.

Lebanon breaks on a counter-attack. Jradi carries the ball for a long time before passing the ball to Matar on the left. The latter dispatches a driving low shot at goal but Sandhu does well to catch the ball.

India subs: IN- Nikhil, Brandon OUT- Akash, Anirudh

Scores are level at 0-0 as the second-half of the Lebanon vs India third-place match starts.

India and Lebanon are locked in a 0-0 scoreline in this third-place match of the 2023 King’s Cup.

Jradi swings in a good cross inside the India box from a freekick. The ball goes through a seaof bodies but none of the Lebanon players could get a telling touch. Eventually, the ball is cleared to safety by India.

Three minutes added at the end of the first-half.

Chhangte with time and space to make a cross from the right flank. But he slips and sends the ball out for a goalkick. That is unfortunate for the winger.

A chance for India as Lebanon keeper Khalil came off his line after Thapa was played an aerial through ball. Seeing an empty net, Thapa tries to play the ball to a teammate but the ball is intercepted. It is actually difficult to say whether he went for a shot himself or attempt a pass.

Jradi tries to get past Jhingan and get inside the Indian penalty area. He tries to get the better of Indian with his quick feet but Jhingan is alert enough to follow the ball and make the block.

Lebanon tries to split the Indian defence with some one-touch football. Saad is played a through ball and he tries to get to the ball on the right touchline. But, Anwar shields the ball well to earn his side a goalkick.

Asish tries to find a teammate with a cutback from the right. But the ball goes straight to a Lebanon player and India’s attack comes to an end. But the Blue Tigers are gradually finding their footing in the match and creating most of the chances.

Booking: Lebanon skipper Mohamad Haidar sees yellow for his late challenge on Chhangte.

Booking: Asish Rai sees a yellow card for dragging back Nader Matar.

Thapa will require some medical attention as he is fouled again with a crunching challenge - this time by Ayoub.

Chance: Chhangte is played a through ball as he races at goal with the ball. Chhangte takes the shot but it is blocked just in time.

Booking: Ali Tneich sees a yellow card for his late challenge on Thapa.

Rai with another nutmeg on Sabra as he races inside the box from the right. He eventually loses control of the ball and Lebanon clears.

Mishra and Jradi were in a race to get to the ball. Jradi reached it first and sent the ball out for a corner with a slide but winces in pain as Mishra accidentally steps on him with his boots. That was a painful one.

Lebanon with some good interplay to put pressure on the India backline. There is some good passing but no penetration to create any substantial chances.

Asish Rai nutmegs Saad and tries to start an attack but the Lebanon player blocks Rai’s path by holding him back.

Lebanon skipper Mohammad Haidar tries to get away from Jeakson on the turn, but the midfielder stands his ground and brings him down, conceding a foul.

Manvir Singh runs at goal again, after being played a through ball by Naorem Mahesh. But he holds on to the ball too long and cannot get a shot away. The ball goes out for a goalkick.

Jhingan plays a long ball as Manvir tries to reach to it. However, he is shielded from the ball and the forward cannot get a hold of the ball.

Jradi tries to find Saad with an aerial lob but gets too much on his pass as the ball goes out for a goalkick.

Manvir tries a bit too hard to win the ball on the right touchline but ends up conceding a foul for the opponent. Lebanon with a chance to break the pressure.

Lebanon enjoying the early possession in the first-half. The Indians are comfortable with Lebanon having the ball in their own half.

There has been a change in captain for the Indian team. Sandesh Jhingan will be the new captain for the match, replacing Gurpreet Singh Sandhu.

The King’s Cup 2023 third-place match between Lebanon and India is underway at the 700th Anniversary Stadium in Chiang Mai, Thailand.

India head coach, Igor Stimac: “It’s now a regular competition between India and Lebanon. The fourth match in three months. We know each other very well. There is no secret. So for us coaches, it’s a much easier job. No need to analyse the opponents too much. It’s just about concentrating and focusing on our own game, our players, and how to be effective on the pitch in 90 minutes.”

Lebanon head coach, Aleksander Ilic: “It has started to become a strange competition between the two teams. We’ve already played a lot of games in the past. It will be one open game and, of course, both teams will try their best to succeed.”

Played: 9

India: 3

Draws: 3

Lebanon: 3

India XI: Gurpreet Sandhu (GK) (C); Asish Rai, Sandesh Jhingan, Anwar Ali, Akash Mishra; Anirudh Thapa, Jeakson Singh; Lallianzuala Chhangte, Sahal Abdul Samad, Mahesh Singh; Manvir Singh

Lebanon XI: Mehdi Khalil (GK); Abdallah Moughrabi, Maher Sabra, Hassan Saad, Mohamad Haidar (C), Ali Tneich, Nader Matar, Jihad Ayoub, Walid Shour, Kassam El Zein, Bassel Jradi

Heartbroken but head held high after its penalty shootout loss to Iraq in the semifinals, India would look to continue its recent domination against Lebanon when it faces off in the third-place match of Kings Cup here on Sunday.

India was just 10 minutes away from recording its maiden win over higher-ranked Iraq but the West Asian country equalised (2-2) though a debatable penalty and then went on to win the semifinal match 5-4 on shootout.

Head coach Igor Stimac had lashed out at the referee for “robbing” India of a victory. Captain Gurpreet Singh Sandhu was also critical of the 80th-minute penalty awarded to Iraq after its striker Ghadhban was squeezed by two Indian defenders inside the box during a high-ball tussle.

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India will, however, gain a lot of confidence from the feisty fight against 70th ranked Iraq and the world number 99 Stimac’s side will hope to sign off the tournament with a win and end at third place.

India and Lebanon has played against each other three times this year and Stimac’s side has won twice -- though one was via penalty shootout in the SAFF Cup semifinal.

In the Intercontinental Cup in June, India had beaten Lebanon 2-0 in the final after playing out a 0-0 draw in the league stage.

It will, however, not be an easy outing for India against Lebanon, which lost to host Thailand 1-2 in the other semifinal on Thursday, but Stimac’s boys will fancy their chances considering their recent success.

- PTI

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Live Streaming info

When and where will the match between India and Lebanon be played?

The third-place match between India and Lebanon in the 2023 King’s Cup will be played on Sunday, September 10 at the 700th Anniversary Stadium in Chiang Mai, Thailand. The kick-off is at 4:00 PM IST.

Where can I watch India vs Lebanon King’s Cup third-place match?

The game between India and Lebanon at the 2023 King’s Cup in Thailand will be telecast live on Eurosport. The live streaming will be available on FIFA+ TV.