Thu, 28 Oct, 2021
Dubai: Lebanon’s hard-fought win over Tajikistan on Sunday means they are one match shy of going into the finals of any football / futsal competition for the first time in their history.
Like any Lebanon citizen, Spanish coach Francisco Araujo is upbeat and determined to take his team to Thailand later this year, where the world's showpiece of futsal will be held in November.
“That’s a dream we saw together when I started working with this side back in November,” we are almost there but the last hurdle will definitely be harder than ever,” the former Barcelona futsal player and a product of famous Cantera said.
Araujo played in Spanish Super League for 15 years including his best spell in native Barcelona. The former Costa Rica coach, arrived in October 2011 in Lebanon and started his duty from November.
Lebanon took part in the West Zone qualifier under his vigil but emerging from the disappointing 4-1 loss to Iraq in the group phase, they defeated Iraq 1-0 in the third-place play off eventually booking a place for the tournament proper.
“We are not much concerned over whom we play in the quarterfinal as at this level all the matches are big and important but we have to work on our finishing, I am not impressed with what I saw today against Tajikistan, we could have kill the match off well before,” he told www.the-afc.com.
Lebanon, the second-placed team of Group B will have to face Group A winner most probably Thailand but all the Group A matches are scheduled for late Sunday here in Dubai.