<div><b><span style="font-size: 1rem;">Lebanon clinched a 2-0 win against Bangladesh in their opening Group B fixture of the 2023 SAFF Championship at the Sree Kanteerava Stadium in Bengaluru of India on Thursday.</span><br></b></div><div><br></div><div>Contrary to the general expectation, Bangladesh did not sit back. Guided by experienced players in captain Jamal Bhuyan and Sohel Rana, it kept the Lebanon defenders on their toes in the early minutes.</div><div><br></div><div>Its first proper chance came from a set-piece - Bhuyan sent a floating cross to the far-post from a freekick. The ball initially looked dangerous with Suman Reza looking to make contact. But Ali Dhaini had a good starting position inside the box and he cleared the ball to safety.</div><div><br></div><div>As the half progressed, Lebanon started to find its footing in the game and began to dominate proceedings in terms of possession and chance creation.</div><div><br></div><div>The Cedars got their first opportunity in the 16th minute. A patient attacking buildup seemed to frustrate the Bangladesh defence. Khalil Bader received the ball and spread it to Karim Darwich in the final third. In a split second, Darwich had turned and made his way to the edge of Bangladesh’s penalty area. Seeing his window of opportunity, he took the shot but failed to hit the target.</div><div><br></div><div>Lebanon’s best chance in the first-half came in the 34th minute from a freekick. Ali Al Haj pinged a cross towards Hassan Kourani. The ball found its intended target and Kourani connected well with a header. But the effort was straight at keeper Anisur Rahman, who showed good reflexes to make the save from point-blank range.</div><div><br></div><div>Lebanon could have finished the half with a lead with Darwich getting a chance in additional time. Dancing his way past a couple of Bangladesh players, he made his way inside the box and had a perfect window to shoot. But he delayed and took the ball away from the target. When the shot finally came, the angle proved to be too narrow for Darwich. His shot missed the target, with the ball flashing across the face of the goal, which visibly infuriated head coach Aleksandar Ilic.</div><div><br></div><div>The second-half started with both teams having chances in a span of five minutes.</div><div><br></div><div>In the 55th minute, substitute Hassan Maatouk was set up by Bader with a deft touch on the right side of the box. Maatouk traded power for precision, blasting a shot at goal, and missed the target by quite a distance.</div><div><br></div><div>Five minutes later, Bangladesh created its best chance of the game. Rana opened the Lebanon defence with an aerial through ball from his own half. Foysal Ahmad Fahim, on the right, did well to stay onside, collecting the ball and sprinting at goal with acres of green ahead of him. Once inside the box, Ali Sabeh came off his line, which forced Fahim to take the shot, but it was a disappointing effort as he hit the ball straight at the Lebanon keeper.</div><div><br></div><div>Lebanon slowly grew into the game and chipped away at the Bangladesh defence.</div><div><br></div><div>On the backfoot, the pressure got to Tariq Kazi and he was dispossessed by Darwich after a loose touch. With Kazi being the last man in defence, Darwich had a clear run at goal, ably supported by Maatouk on the right. Darwich went for the unselfish route once he was one-on-one with the keeper and squared the ball to Maatouk, who lashed the ball inside the net in the 79th minute.</div><div><br></div><div>Javier Hernandez Cabrera’s Bangladesh looked tired after conceding the first goal. Lebanon, however, kept hounding its opponent.</div><div><br></div><div>The constant pressure paid off, and the Cedars bagged their second of the match late in additional time. Zein Al Abidine Farran collected a loose ball on the right side of the Bangladesh box and squared it to Bader in the centre, who had the easiest of finishes in front of an empty net. Source: sportstar.thehindu.com</div><div><br></div><div>bnbd24/fas</div>