Down by a goal, Lebanon fought back in the second half to hold India to 2-2 draw in their World Cup football qualifying match at the Nehru stadium on Tuesday and qualify for the next round.

India, who needed a 3-0 margin to qualify for the next round, took the lead in 29th minute but failed to take advantage of scoring opportunities in the second half.

Substitute Mohamad Ghaddar, who was instrumental in Lebanon’s big win at home against India, was again their saviour as he scored both their goals in the 80th and 86th minutes.

Skipper Bhaichung Bhutia managed to level the score at 2-2 when he scored in injury time through a header off a corner kick taken by Steven Dias. Lebanon thus advanced with an aggregate of 6-3, having won the home leg 4-1.
Both teams started on a cautious note with play being confined to the midfield for a major part of the first half. Needing to make all the running, India made the first foray in the 23rd minute through Bhutia, who set Sunil Chetri up in the box. Chetri got the better of a defender but shot straight into the hands of ‘keeper Mehanna.   

Counter-attack
Minutes later, Lebanon countered through Hamdan Husseini, who sent a through pass to El Ali Mohammad which caught the entire Indian defence napping. Mohammad, who had only to beat ‘keeper Subrato Paul, drove wide off the mark.

India, who threatened the rival defence from the right, took the lead in the 29th minute. Steven Dias sent a long lob into the box for an Chetri to head home off the post.

India continued to hold the edge in the second half and had a chance to increase the lead but N Pradeep wasted the opportunity when he drove the ball straight into the hands of Mehanna from close off a pass by Dias. India suffered a jolt midway through the second session when ‘keeper Paul brought down El Ali inside the box when he was about to score, thereby earning a red card and conceding a penalty. Defender Samir Naik was then replaced with reserve ‘keeper Sandip Nandy.

The resultant penalty kick was taken by substitute, Ghaddar who beat Nandy to his left to draw level 1-1 in the 80th minute.

Ghaddar then put his team ahead in the 86th minute when he dodged past a couple of Indian defenders before drawing ‘keeper Nandy out to place the ball into the net. India managed to draw level in the dying minute through Bhutia. Indian coach Bob Houghton said, “Overall, we played well. The first half went according to plan and in the second half, we missed a good chance through Pradeep to increase the lead. But the penalty and the red card completely changed our fortunes.”