As the month of June came to a close in international soccer, a new South Asian Championship kicked off in earnest, with the tournament now advancing to the semi-finals and two teams advancing to the final: Kuwait and India. The two West Asian teams, who were playing on a wild card, had to bow out of the finals as they lost 2-4 on penalties to India.
This year's South Asian Championship is being held in the host country of India. With the advantage of home ground, India beat Pakistan and Nepal in the group stage and drew with Kuwait, finishing second in Group A on goal difference. In Group B, Lebanon beat Bangladesh, Maldives and Bhutan by a landslide to reach the semifinals.
Looking back at the four-nation invitational match between India and Lebanon in the middle of last month, India won the trophy after edging out their opponents 1-0 in a two-legged match. Half a month later, the two teams met again, with Lebanon hoping for revenge, but it was not to be.
According to the data, Lebanon had 61% possession, 13-19 shots on goal and 2-5 corners, but ultimately lost 2-4 on penalties and missed out on a ticket to the final.
Lebanon had 61% possession, 13-19 shots and 2-5 corners, but ultimately lost 2-4 on penalties and missed out on a ticket to the final. However, Lebanon's inability to get past its opponents even after a solid performance against India may reflect the limitations of its third-rate Asian strength, which could be encouraging news for the national soccer team, meaning a steady stream of scoring is expected in future matches.
At the same time, the national soccer team should also be concerned about the growth of the Indian team, which after all has qualified for three consecutive Asian Cups and has not been an underdog against the national team.
At the same time, the national soccer team should also be concerned about the growth of the Indian team, which after all has qualified for three consecutive Asian Cups and has not been an underdog against the national team. Since 2023, the Indian team is undefeated in all categories of the tournament, playing 10 matches and winning eight and drawing two, the longest unbeaten streak in a natural year since the 21st century.
It is worth noting that India's population has crossed 1.4 billion, surpassing China as the world's most populous country. In the future, the chances of other countries trying to catch up with this size are slim.
It is worth noting that India's population has crossed 1.4 billion, surpassing China as the world's most populous country. In the future, the chances of other countries trying to catch up with this size are slim.
