Lebanon qualified for the 2019 Asian Cup without kicking a ball Friday after North Korea defeated Malaysia 4-1 to ensure the Cedars will finish at least second in Group B. Lebanon currently lead the group with 10 points, five ahead of Hong Kong and North Korea while Malaysia are bottom on one point.
The top two sides will join 22 other nations in the UAE in just over a years’ time.
Miodrag Radulovic’s men can guarantee top spot if they avoid defeat away to Hong Kong in their penultimate Asian Cup qualifier Tuesday. It will mark Lebanon’s first appearance at the quadrennial competition since the country hosted the event in 2000, while Radulovic earns the notable distinction as the only coach to guide the Cedars to Asian Cup qualification.
Lebanon have witnessed a sharp upturn in fortunes since the Montenegrin was parachuted in to replace Italian Giuseppe Giannini in 2015.
His side are riding a 12-match unbeaten run – their last defeat was against South Korea in March 2016 – and maintained that record with a routine 1-0 win over hosts Singapore in an international friendly in Kellang Thursday.
Despite a much-changed side, Lebanon played some sumptuous, possession-based football, scoring a memorable goal in the process.
Ali Hamam’s 18th-minute strike involved 26 passes, with Lebanon keeping the ball for over two minutes in the buildup to the only goal of the match. It further underlined Radulovic’s growing influence on this group, who are playing with newfound swagger and confidence. They have scored 11 goals so far in four Asian Cup qualifiers, while a much-improved back line led by Nour Mansour has conceded only 3 times.
Lebanon also demonstrated resilience and character in their qualifier with Malaysia, where two late goals saw them come away from Kuala Lumpur with a crucial three points following a 2-1 win.
But their best performance of the campaign undoubtedly was at home to North Korea in September. Billed as Lebanon’s main rivals in the group, North Korea were swept aside by the rampant Cedars who dominated from start to finish as they steamrolled their beleaguered guests 5-0.
And with an average age of just 27, the future looks bright for Radulovic’s Asian-Cup-bound Lebanon.
