Thu, 28 Oct, 2021
Kuala Terengganu: The semi-final ticket from Group B of the 2017 AFC Beach Soccer Championship is now up for grabs between Lebanon and defending champions Oman after the Lebanese opened their campaign with an emphatic 6-1 win over Thailand in Kuala Terengganu, Malaysia on Tuesday.
The Lebanese will play Oman in Wednesday’s decider while Thailand, who have suffered their second loss in the competition, are now heading home after a fine fight against their last opponents in the three-team group.
Lebanon scored early with Ahmed Grada’s strike on the first minute before Sameh Jalal doubled the advantage two minutes later.
Lebanon then almost made their number three as captain Mohamad Merhi (pictured left) fired a long-ranger but the ball bounced off Thai keeper Suriya Boridet and hit the post.
Merhi again fired from a distance as the period ticked closer to the end but Boridet smartly punched it away as the buzzer sounded off.
Lebanon made their third as one of Merhi’s long-distance strikes from the right side finally found its target after bouncing off custodian Boridet and into goal a minute into the second period.
The Thai multiplied their efforts in the hunt for the first goal and Jullawan Pinkaew got a chance at it after a foul in the area but his penalty went wide just before the period ended.
But it was Lebanon’s penalty that was a success later as Hussein Abdullah converted with 10 minutes remaining before an unguarded Mahmoud Matar tapped in Lebanon’s fifth a minute later.
Manus Madtoha (pictured, second left) finally registered Thailand’s first with a short-range strike that caught keeper Mohamed Choker unawares but their joy was short-lived as Mohamad Sleiman slammed home his free-kick shortly after for Lebanon’s sixth that put a cap on their impressive display.
The top three finishers at the AFC Beach Soccer Championship will represent Asia at the 2017 FIFA Beach Soccer World Cup, which is scheduled to be held in Nassau, Bahamas from April 27 to May 7.
Photo: AFC