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The Indian men’s national team are set to lock horns with a familiar foe, Lebanon, in the third-place playoff game of the 2023 King’s Cup on Sunday, September 10.
The Blue Tigers are on the back of a heart-wrenching defeat to Iraq in their first game of the tournament. After a strong start, they took the lead through Naorem Mahesh Singh, but their joy was shortlived as Iraq equalized within a few minutes.
India managed to regain the lead in the second half, only to witness Iraq once again leveling the score following a questionable penalty decision by the referee. The game ultimately concluded in a 2-2 draw, with Iraq emerging victorious in the penalty shootout.
However, Igor Stimac will certainly be satisfied with the performance, as his team fought hard against a strong Iraq side, who are placed 70th in the FIFA rankings.
This display highlights India's substantial improvement over the past year, as they showed parity with their opponents both physically and technically—a feat that would have been challenging in previous years.
While the defeat will be hard to take, India will hope to finish their King’s Cup on a strong note. Lebanon are no strangers to them, with the two sides meeting recently, twice in the Intercontinental Cup and once in the SAFF Championship, with India securing two victories and a draw.
Speaking to the media ahead of the game, Stimac said:
“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,” said the Croatian. So for us coaches, it's a much easier job. No need to analyse the opponents too much. So it's just about concentrating and focusing on our own game, our players, and how to be effective on the pitch in 90 minutes."
Meanwhile, Lebanon experienced a 2-1 defeat at the hands of host nation Thailand in their tournament opener. Although Thailand initially took the lead, Lebanon mounted a comeback in the second half, only to see the hosts clinching a victory, with five minutes of regulation time left.
India vs Lebanon: Predicted lineup for the 2023 King's Cup clash
India: Gurpreet Singh Sandhu, Nikhil Poojary, Sandesh Jhingan, Anwar Ali, Akash Mishra, Jeakson Singh, Anirudh Thapa, Sahal Abdul Samad, Naorem Mahesh Singh, Brandon Fernandes, and Manvir Singh.
Lebanon: Mostafa Matar, Hussein Al Zein, Jihad Ayoub, Waleed Shour, Nader Matar, Hasan Srour, Ali Tnesh, Soony Saad, Hassan Maatouk, Hilal El Helwe, and Bassel Jradi.
India vs Lebanon: Head-to-Head records
The two nations have played on nine occasions, with both sides securing three victories, while the game has ended in a draw on three occasions as well.
Total Matches: 9
India wins: 3
Lebanon wins: 3
Draws: 3
India vs Lebanon: Prediction
Recent history has seen India and Lebanon engage in closely fought matches, and this upcoming game promises to be no exception.
The Blue Tigers will look to maintain their positive momentum, while Lebanon will want to get one over their rivals. Notably, both teams have had just a two-day break since their previous matches, giving India a potential advantage due to their arguably superior squad depth in comparison to Lebanon.
Prediction: India 2-1 Lebanon
