The Asian Cup opener will see reigning champions Qatar lock horns with Lebanon. The game will take place at the Lusail Iconic Stadium on 12 January.
Qatar vs Lebanon: Betting odds
Here is what odds on the game between Qatar and Lebanon look like, according to bookies.
Qatar to win - 1.25
Draw - 5.4
Lebanon to win - 12.0
Qatar
Qatar are hosting the tournament, they are the current champions: all that makes them the Asian Cup favourites. They failed at the 2022 World Cup and have changed three managers since then.
All Qatari players are from local clubs and that makes the job easier for the coaching staff. For the Asian Cup, Qatar have called all their stars: Almoez Ali (50 goals for the national team!), Akram Afif and the skipper, 33-year-old Hassan Al-Haydos.
Al Sadd are a parent club for the Saudi Arabia team: eleven players from Al Sadd have received international call-ups. This is hardly surprising because this club is obviously the strongest in the league.
Before the Asian Cup, Qatar unexpectedly lost 1-2 in a friendly against Jordan.
Lebanon
The Lebanon team is a clear underdog, it consists of footballers who play all over the world but a lot of them represent three major local sides: Al Ansar, Al Ahed and Nejmeh.
Montenegrian coach Miodrag Radulovic manages the team: it's his second stint with Lebanon, the previous one ended in 2019.
In the previous Asian Cup, Lebanon failed to qualify from the group that also had North Korea, Qatar and Saudi Arabia. This time, their chances look better, with such opponents as Qatar, Tajikistan and China.
Lebanon's key players are captain Hassan Maatouk and Mohamad Haidar (both from Al Ansar). Keep an eye on attackers Daniel Kuri, Gabriel Bitar and Omar Chaaban who play at Atlante, Vancouver and Wimbledon respectively.
Qatar vs Lebanon: Facts to know
Lebanon have never scored against Qatar.
Lebanon have lost all five games against Qatar.
In the previous Asian Cup, Qatar won 2-0.
Qatar vs Lebanon: Head-to-head
There have been five games between the sides and Qatar had the upper hand on all five occasions. Besides, Qatar have kept a clean sheet every time they faced Lebanon.
Qatar vs Lebanon: Prediction
Lebanon struggle to score but they are tough to score against. They park the bus against stronger opponents and in the previous five games against them, Qatar managed only six goals.
Considering the hosts will be feeling the pressure on Friday, we suggest betting on goals total under 2.5. Another attractive bet option is corner-kicks: Qatar usually have lots of them in matches against stubborn opponents like Lebanon.
Our prediction: Goals total under 2.5 (betting odds - 1.79)
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