Wael Arakji going for a layup during Lebanon's victory against the United Arab Emirates on Monday, Feb. 24, in Zouk, Kesrouan. (Credit: Photo by the Lebanese Basketball Federation)
BEIRUT — Perfect six out of six. Lebanon wrapped up a flawless qualification campaign for the 2025 Asian Cup with a 91-88 victory over the United Arab Emirates on Monday at Nouhad Naoufal Stadium in Zouk, Kesrouan.
Already assured of qualification since Nov. 25, Miodrag Perisic's squad secured the top spot in Group F with a perfect six-win record, replicating their performance from the 2022 edition, where they finished runners-up after a narrow 75-73 loss to Australia in the final.
Lebanon joins Jordan and defending champion Australia as the only teams to complete their campaigns unbeaten, with six wins and no losses, leading Groups A and D, respectively.
Arakji MVP
Lebanon capped their return to home court after a year without hosting an international match with a hard-fought victory, holding off a determined United Arab Emirates side that battled until the final seconds despite already being eliminated.
Wael Arakji led the charge with 29 points — making him the game’s top scorer and MVP — along with five assists, four rebounds, and two steals. Gérard Hadidian added 18 points and seven rebounds, including a decisive three-pointer that extended Lebanon’s lead to six points with 40 seconds remaining, sealing the win.
On the scoreboard, captain Amir Saoud (20 points, 7 rebounds, 7 assists) and Ater Majok, the South Sudanese-Lebanese naturalized center, who scored 12 points and 6 rebounds, also stood out.
"I am proud because we did not give up, even when things did not go as planned," said coach Miodrag Perisic after the match. "The guys continued to fight. They are fighters. But we will have to prepare to play much better in the final phase," which will be held in Jeddah from August 5 to 17.
A successful debut for the new Syria
In the other group match, Syria played their first two games since the fall of Bashar al-Assad's regime in early December. For the first time, the team wore green jerseys, replacing the red ones associated with the former flag.
In a thrilling showdown, Syria edged Bahrain 89-87 in a "final" for second place, securing the win under coach Jad al-Hajj, who previously managed the Lebanese team
Lebanon and Syria now join the 10 other teams already qualified for the final phase of the 31st edition of the Asian Cup, including host nation Saudi Arabia, Australia, China, South Korea, Iran, Japan, Jordan, New Zealand, the Philippines and Qatar.
This article was originally published in French in L'Orient Le-Jour.
