Reporter Han Bing reported that the Asian Cup draw ended on the 11th, and the national football team was in the same group as the hosts Qatar, Tajikistan and Lebanon. National football coach Jankovic made it clear after the draw that his goal was to qualify from the group. Unlike other Asian teams that often play each other, Tajikistan and Lebanon, the third and fourth opponents of the national football team in this Asian Cup are relatively unfamiliar. Knowing oneself and knowing the other side can survive the battle, the national football team not only grasped the time to use the subsequent international break to grind tactics, but also need to know more about the two teams that must aim to win.
Asian Cup draw, the vice president of the Tajikistan Football Association who participated in the Asian Cup for the first time in the team's history, Urunov, Croatian coach Sergot and the national team manager Ainidine Zoda all appeared at the draw scene. The Tajikistan Football Association attaches great importance to participating in the Asian Cup, and the team will also participate in the inaugural Central Asian Cup, joining Uzbekistan, Turkmenistan and Oman, which was invited. Croatian coach of Tajikistan Šegot hopes to further grind the team through the Central Asian Cup and give the young Tajikistan more international experience.
The current Tajikistan national team is very young, and the striker Zoynov, the captain of the Tajikistani national junior team at the U17 World Junior Championship, Soilov, the striker who briefly stayed in the Tallinn Ravadia in the Estonian league last year, and goalkeepers Kyrgyz Boev and Kasanov have all entered the Tajikistan national team. The change of the Tajik team was presided over by Croatian coach Schögot, 57, who has spent most of his career in Germany's lower leagues. He has coached in Austria, Georgia, Indonesia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Afghanistan and the Maldives, and has played against Lippi's national football team during his time in charge of the Maldives. When Tajikistan warmed up with the UAE and Kuwait in March, 10 of the 24 players were post-00s and only 8 were over 24, with the youngest Aini only 18. When warming up with Russia last November, five post-00s were shortlisted, including Soilov, who competed in the Under-17 World Junior Championship in 2019.
Almost all of the players in the starting line-up against the UAE and Kuwait are under the age of 24. The main goalscorer Mabatshoyev is only 22 years old, midfielder Panjashanbe is 24 years old, and the central defender combination of Chulaboyev and Khanonov and goalkeeper Yadimov are also under 24 years old. Samiev, Karimov, Safarov and some of the rookies at the World Junior Championships have all been fully exercised.
Tajikistan plays the 4231 formation, and it is not to be underestimated that it beat Trinidad and Tobago in the warm-up match last September to draw with Russia. The Central Asian Cup in mid-June will be the best opportunity for the national football coaching staff to visit Tajikistan.
Lebanon coach Ilic and national coach Jankovic know each other well, having played Ilicic in the Serbian league in the 2012/13 season when Jankovic briefly managed Red Star Belgrade. Ilyic has been coaching the Saudi Arabia and Iraqi leagues for many years, and just started the Lebanese national team in August last year on a three-year contract. Soon after Ilicic took over Lebanon, the team's performance was not satisfactory. He led the team to three consecutive defeats in three games, losing to Kuwait, the United Arab Emirates and Oman, and conceded five goals without a goal.
Lebanon is a traditional third-rate team in West Asia, and its strength is already poor. The last time the team won was a narrow 1-0 victory over Sudan in the FIFA Arabian Cup at the end of 2021. However, like Tajikistan, Lebanon is also a weak defensive style, and it is difficult to concede goals but also difficult to score. In the round of 12 of the World Cup qualifiers, Lebanon has drawn with powerhouses such as the United Arab Emirates and Iraq, as well as Asia's top powerhouses such as Iran and South Korea by one goal. Lebanon plays a 4-guard system, and the defensive organization is relatively methodical.
However, the national football team needs to focus more on Lebanon's naturalized players, because these players with relatively outstanding individual abilities are likely to determine the outcome of the game at that time.
Melki brothers
Germany-born top scorer Helvey played for Lebanon in the Asian Cup four years ago and returned to Asia in the last two years to play in the Malaysian league. Club teammate Saad was born in the United States and played for the U.S. Under-17 and Under-20 teams, but has been naturalized in Lebanon for 10 years. Born in Denmark, Jaradi, an attacking midfielder who was selected for the Danish Under-21-U15 national team of all ages, has also been naturalized for 8 years. The Melki brothers, who were born in Sweden, were also selected for the Swedish national youth team and naturalized in Lebanon in recent years. The 31-year-old veteran of the defence line, born in Côte d'Ivoire, has played in Angola, Ghana and Portugal, and is also a naturalized player with more than 10 years of experience.
Swedish-born back Zaini plays for Trelleborg in the Swedish First League, and German-born high school striker Darwin Chong are both naturalized in 2020. Born in England and from Brentford's youth system, attacking midfielder Osman is a Lebanese and English mix, and Sierra Leone-born midfielder Shure is naturalized in 2021. Canadian-born Bittal, who now plays for Vancouver FC in the Canadian Pro League, only made his debut for Lebanon last year. Attacking midfielder Lahoude, who was born in Mexico, was only officially naturalized last year.
The Melki brothers played as central defenders and backs, with Zyani also at the back, while Saad, Jaradi and Helvey were in attack, and naturalized players formed the backbone of Lebanon's attack and defense. There are at least three players in the starting line-up, and at most seven are naturalized players, who have played a key role in the improvement of the Lebanese team. Compared with the encounter with Tajikistan and against Lebanon, the national football team may have to put more effort into how to break through the opponent's door.