King’s Cup 2023, India vs Lebanon: Players to watch

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On September 10, 2023, the Indian men's national football team will face Lebanon in the third-place playoff at the 2023 King's Cup. The Blue Tigers lost on penalties to Iraq in the semi-finals after leading twice in the regulation period, which ended in a 2-2 tie.

Lebanon, on the other hand, fell to hosts Thailand 1-2 in a thrilling match, thanks to a late goal by Teerasil Dangda. Despite the loss, the Cedars created a lot of big scoring chances and were unlucky to come up short.

The upcoming third-place playoff between India and Lebanon is set to be exciting. Both nations met in the Intercontinental Cup and the SAFF Championships earlier this year. They know quite a lot about each other which makes the fixture even more interesting. It is hard to predict which team will come out on top but the following three battles are certain to play a role in deciding the winner:

India vs Lebanon: Hussein Zein vs Naorem Mahesh Singh

Hussein Zein looked solid against Thailand on occasion, but facing an in-form Naorem Mahesh Singh will be a step up. The Indian winger scored a spectacular goal against Iraq and put in an outstanding performance overall.

The battle on the left flank between India's quick winger and Iraq's physically strong right-back will be crucial to the game's outcome. Hussein Zein will be wary of Akash Mishra's overlapping runs, who combined well with Naorem Mahesh Singh against Iraq.

India vs Lebanon: Bassel Jradi vs Anwar Ali

Lebanon's Bassel Jradi scored a goal against Thailand. He persisted in finding the net and scored with a smart first-time finish. The striker is expected to start again for the Cedars against Anwar Ali, who is in good form.

Since Anwar Ali took over as captain, India's defence has looked solid. His collaboration with Sandesh Jhingan is solid. On the ball, the centre-back is frighteningly assured. He made numerous clearances against Iraq and will rely on himself to keep Jradi at bay in the third-place playoff.

India vs Lebanon: Hassan Maatouk vs Nikhil Poojary

Hassan Maatouk is a high-energy player who is central to everything Lebanon has to offer in the attacking department. The team's captain leads by example and is a constant source of frustration for defenders due to his speed and crossing ability. He enjoys finding space on the flanks and delivering quality balls to strikers in the box.

He came close to scoring against Thailand and was instrumental in his team's goal. If he starts at right-back, Nikhil Poojary will be tasked with keeping Lebanon's captain at bay. It will be an exciting clash of personalities that could swing the contest either way.