KUALA LUMPUR — Lebanon made a historic debut in the Merdeka Tournament by advancing to the final after defeating the defending champions, Tajikistan, in a match held today at the National Stadium Bukit Jalil.
A header from Jihad Ayoub in the 13th minute was enough to secure Lebanon’s place in the final, where they will face the winner of the match between the Philippines and Malaysia.
Lebanon’s head coach, Miodrag Radulovic, expressed satisfaction with the team’s performance and victory, despite the challenges faced by the players who had limited rest after a long journey to Kuala Lumpur.
Radulovic also highlighted that about 80% of the squad consists of new players for this tournament.
This win serves as redemption for Lebanon after their disappointing 2-1 loss to Tajikistan in the Asian Cup in January.
“We came here to test some new players and experiment with new formations, but the most important thing is that we reached the finals.
“I hope we can rest well and perform at our best in the final match.
“I mentioned yesterday that our goals were not only to renew the team but also to seek revenge for our defeat in the Asian Cup.
“I’m satisfied that we’ve achieved our objectives because, in football, a good performance without a result is not complete,” Radulovic said at a press conference.
As a result, Radulovic will observe the match between Malaysia and the Philippines to prepare for the final.
At the Tajikistan camp, coach Gela Shekiladze acknowledged that this squad is quite different from the team that won the tournament last year.
Like Lebanon, Tajikistan struggled to perform well in Malaysia, particularly due to the humidity and weather conditions, which are quite different from those in their home country.
In addition, Shekiladze had to cope with the loss of 10 key players and adapt his tactics for this match.
Nevertheless, he refused to use these challenges as excuses and viewed this period as an opportunity to rebuild the Tajikistan team after taking over from Petar Segrt, who resigned in February.
“Yes, there is a certain pressure on the defending champions to retain the title, but that’s part of football.
“One year you may perform well, but the next year you might not be as strong.
“I can tell you that integrating 10 new players into the team for this tournament is quite challenging,” said Shekiladze.
The final of the Merdeka Football Tournament will take place this Sunday, with Tajikistan also competing in the third-place playoff. — September 4, 2024