Lebanon vs China Prediction: The Cedars Will Not Wilt Under Pressure In A Crucial Match That Holds Their Destiny

Lebanon will welcome China to the Al-Thumama Stadium in the second round of the AFC Asian Cup.

In a must-win game, Miodrag Radulovic's wards are presented with a formidable challenge in the second round of the Asian Cup. Their objective is to secure a victory against an opponent they haven't overcome in their past three encounters. Failing to achieve this and experiencing a loss could mark the conclusion of their journey in this competition.

Let's have a look at the latest AFC Asian Cup predictions between Lebanon vs. China, probable lineups, match facts and betting odds for you to consider!

Note: Odds are subject to change at any time!

Lebanon

FIFA Ranking: 107th

Lebanon faced a setback in the initial stage of the Asian Cup, suffering a 3-0 defeat at the hands of host nation Qatar at the Lusail Stadium. The Cedars find themselves rooted at the bottom of the table in Group A and are the only side yet to claim a point.

Miodrag Radulovic's wards have now lost two consecutive matches this year where they've been unable to find the back of the net. However, fortune is on the verge of favoring them despite having a poor record against their opponents in this upcoming encounter. The Cedars have been impressive when playing at home, losing just one of their seven matches against India in the SAFF Championship through a penalty shootout while clinching victories on five occasions.

Probable Starting XI

Formation: 3-4-1-2

Matar; Melki, Mansour, El Zein; Zein, Tneich, Srour, Haidar; Kuri; Bitar, Maatouk

China

FIFA Ranking: 79th

China, on the other hand, came close to securing all three points.

In their initial match against resilient Tajikistan, however, Chenije Zhu's ruled-out goal for offside in the 80th minute meant that the Dragon's team had to settle for a point in a scoreless draw. They currently sit in second place in Group A with a point to their name and are two points adrift of first place.

The Dragon's Team currently find themselves winless in four matches where they have been outscored 7-1. Their last win was a 2-1 triumph over Thailand away from home in the World Cup Qualifiers on November 16, 2023, prior to succumbing to a 3-0 defeat against South Korea in the same competition, marking the beginning of their downturn in form.

Probable Starting XI

Formation: 4-4-2

Junling; Linpeng, Browning, Chenjie, Yang; Pengfei, Shangyuan, Tsun, Binbin; Lei, Long

Match Facts

• Lebanon have lost six of their last ten matches.
• China have won two of their last ten away matches.
• Lebanon averages 1.1 goals per game when playing at home, and China averages 0.9 goals per game when playing away.

Head-To-Head

In the last 3 meetings, Lebanon have won 0 times, China have won 2 times, and there has been 1 draw, with the goal difference being 3-0 in favor of China.

Expert Betting Tips

Lebanon showed some great fighting spirit last time out against host nation Qatar despite dropping all three points, and with that determination, they should manage to score in this match or, ideally, cause an upset by securing all three points.

Both sides come into this match searching for a crucial win after suffering setbacks in their respective matches. With nothing much to separate these two sides in terms of quality and class, we anticipate seeing both sides get on the scoreboard considering that the away side has conceded a goal in seven of their last ten away matches.

• Both Teams To Score - Yes for 2.05
• 1X & TU 4.5 for 1.61
• Correct Score - Lebanon 2:2 China for 16:00