LEBANON 1:1 THAILAND

ASIAN CUP 2000 (LEBANON)

Report by: FootballAsia.com

Goals Scored:
Sakesan Pituratana (THA) (58') , Luis Fernandes (LIB) (83') .

Cautions:
Chukiat Noosalung (THA) (43') , Fouad Hijazi (LIB) (57') , Choketawee Promrut (THA) (90') .

Point not enough for hosts

As the Lebanon players fell to the ground at referee Lu Jun's final whistle, it was clear that their 1-1 draw with Thailand was not enough to take third place in Group A, and a possible place in the quarter-finals.

Neither side could make the breakthrough in the first although the impetus for both teams was to attack.

Ahmad Naamani's right wing cross was an early test for Kittisak Rawangpa, but the Thai custodian easily collected the ball, displaying the kind of composure that would win him the Sanyo MVP award.

In the 19th minute Lebanon were awarded a free kick in an almost identical position to where Moussa Hjeij had equalized against Iraq. With the chant of "Moussa" reverberating through the Sports City cauldron, the home crowd anticipated another strike on goal from the attacker. Instead he subtly chipped the ball into space on the right although Newton De Olivera was not reading from the same page as the Al Nejmeh star.

Despite Lebanon dominating possession in the first half, Thailand came closest to breaking the deadlock. With 35 minutes on the clock, Sutee Suksomkit picked up an inch perfect pass threaded between Jadir Morgenstern and Abbas Chahrour but the Thai striker fired his angled drive straight at Ali Fakih.

Eight minutes into the second half Lebanon coach Joseb Skoblar attempted to catch Thailand off-guard with a double substitution. Wartan Ghazarian and Haitham Zein came on for Newton De Olivera and Gliberto Dos Santos but it was the Thais who would open the scoring.

After a crescendo of jeers greeted a 57th minute free kick that was scuffed tamely against the Lebanon wall, the ball was fed to Niweat Siriwong who was unmarked on the right touchline.

Niweat whipped a low cross into the danger area and was met by the sliding Sakesan Pituratana to open the scoring and silence the crowd.

Lebanon refused to throw in the towel and piled men forward as they chased the equalizer. This tactic was always going to leave them susceptible to the counter-attack and 10 minutes later Sutee hit the side netting after Thailand broke quickly from defence.

Peter Withe's defenders, however, were still working overtime as Lebanon pressed to get on level terms. When MVP Kittisak was not picking tantalizing crosses from the heads of the Lebanese forwards, he was on hand to bravely deny Hjeij from close range in the 70th minute.

With seven minutes left to play Lebanon were rewarded for their efforts. Substitute Zein coolly lifted the ball over the Thai back line and while Kittisak was again to deny Hjeij at close range, Luis Fernandez was perfectly placed to net the lose ball.

Time was running out for Lebanon but the only way to stay in the tournament was to take all three points. Despite laying siege to the Thai goal for the remainder of the match, it was to end in a stalemate, but kept alive the South East Asians slim chance of progressing to the next round.