After a disappointing draw with Tajikistan, the Chinese team needed to beat Lebanon if they did not want to be put at a disadvantage in the final match. However, a poor performance prevented coach Aleksandar Jankovic and his team from winning 3 points.
Lebanon (ranked 107th in the FIFA rankings) was rated lower. However, the West Asian representative entered the match confidently and played better than their opponent. They took the initiative to control the ball and organized attacks with many options, creating several notable opportunities although their ability to create continuous pressure and attack at high speed was not good.
The Chinese team (blue shirts) drew two consecutive matches.
Meanwhile, the Chinese team struggled to keep the ball and coordinate. They continued to use a simple style of play, ignoring the build-up in the middle of the pitch and the middle to make long balls straight to the strikers, or pushing the ball out wide to cross high.
After a goalless first half, both teams showed more determination in the second half. The Chinese team gradually played better and persisted with their aerial attacks. Crosses brought some good chances for the East Asian team but they did not finish well enough.
In the final minutes of the match, both the Lebanese and Chinese teams showed impatience. China pushed up their formation and pressed in the extra minutes but could not create a turning point for the match. For the second consecutive match, coach Jankovic's team failed to score and had to share points with an opponent ranked outside the world's top 100.
With only 2 points after 2 matches against weak opponents in the group, the Chinese team faces the risk of being eliminated early. In the decisive round, Wu Lei and his teammates will have to face Qatar - the strongest opponent in the group and also the host of the 2023 Asian Cup. If they cannot gain points in the final round, the Chinese team will also have difficulty competing for a place in the next round with one of the 4 third-placed teams with the best results.
Minh Anh
Source
Comment (0)