According to the initial schedule, the match between Yemen and Lebanon took place on March 31. However, due to the conflict situation in the Middle East, this match was postponed to June 4 and held on a neutral ground in Qatar.
Before the decisive match, Lebanon led the group with 13 points, 2 points more than Yemen. The West Asian representative only needed a draw to qualify for the next round. However, Yemen created a surprise when playing with determination and winning convincingly.
Right from the first minutes, Yemen entered the game proactively and continuously put pressure on the Lebanese goal. In the 7th minute, Al Gahwashi almost opened the score with a dangerous free kick but goalkeeper Mostafa Matar promptly saved Lebanon.
In the opposite direction, Lebanon also organized many notable attacking situations to find an early goal. The attacking game helped the match become attractive with many opportunities created.
A turning point appeared in the 62nd minute. From a unsafe clearance by defender Walid Shour, the ball came right to Adel Abbas's position before this player assisted Al Gahwashi to run down and finish to open the score for Yemen.
After conceding a goal, Lebanon pushed their formation up to attack. However, the opportunities created were not enough to help them find an equalizer. In the 90th minute, Al Gahwashi completed a double with a cold-blooded finish, sealing a 2-0 victory for Yemen.
This result helps Yemen overcome Lebanon to win a ticket to participate in the 2027 Asian Cup finals. The West Asian team will be in a group with the participation of Vietnam, South Korea and UAE.
According to the schedule, the Vietnamese team will play against UAE on January 10, 2027, then successively face South Korea on January 15 and Yemen on January 20.
The 2027 Asian Cup finals will take place from January 7 to February 5, 2027 in Saudi Arabia.
