Lebanon vs Bangladesh: SAFF Championship 2023 Match Preview, Head to Head and Team News

Lebanon vs Bangladesh face off against each other for three points in the South Asian Championship on Thursday, June 22nd.

Telecast:

The SAFF Championships 2023 game between Lebanon and Bangladesh will be live telecast on Star Sports Network and Disney+Hotstar. 

Lebanon vs Bangladesh: Match Preview

Bangladesh will take on one of the strongest teams in the competition, Lebanon in their first group game on Thursday afternoon at the Sree Kanteerava Stadium in Bangalore.

Bangladesh are ranked 192nd in the world while Lebanon are ranked 97 by FIFA.

Bangladesh are coming into this tournament with great form as they won two out of their four friendlies in March.

They are coming off a 1-0 win over Cambodia and will be looking to carry their form to the SAFF Championships. Bangladesh have won the tournament once in 2003 and finished as runners-up twice, in 1995 and 2005.

Lebanon are debutants in the competition and one of the two non-South Asian teams invited to take part. They will be looking to bounce back from the Intercontinental Cup where they lost against India in the final.

Aleksander Illicic's side have suffered their share of upsets as they lost against Oman prior to the Intercontinental Cup and failed to score against lowly Mongolia.

Head-to-Head: 

Lebanon and Bangladesh have faced each other only twice with each side getting one win.  They faced each other in the 2011-12 World Cup Qualifiers second round which Lebanon won 4-2 over two legs. 

Lebanon vs Bangladesh: Team News

Lebanon:

Lebanon head coach Aleksandar Ilic has named the same group of players for the SAFF games that he had called up for the Intercontinental Cup too.

Bangladesh:

As for Bangladesh, the Bengal Tigers are coming off the back of a 1-0 victory over Cambodia last Thursday. Mojibur Rahman Jony scored the only goal of the game in the 24th minute.

Manager Javier Cabrera has summoned 23 players for this month's fixtures, including the most capped player Jamal Bhuyan. The 33-year-old midfielder has made 71 appearances for Bangladesh.

Mitul Marma and Isa Faysal are looking to make their international debuts at the tournament.

Predicted Lineups:

Lebanon:
Ali Sabeh (GK), Hussein Zein, Mohammad El Hayek, Jihad Ayoub, Hassan Saad, Walid Chouar, Ali Tneich, Zein Abidine Farran, Hassan Maatouk, Nader Matar, Karim Darwich

Bangladesh:
Anisur Rahman,Rabiul Islam,Topu Barman,Rakib Hossain,Mohammed Rimon Hossain,Sohel Rana II,Sohel Mohammed Rana,Mojibur Rahman Jony,Tariq Raihan Kazi,Mohammed Suman Reza,Saad Uddin.