Lebanon U20 came from behind to beat Kyrgyzstan 3-2 in a Group Stage match of the AFC U20 Championship on Wednesday. The visitors took three points from Bishkek, though the game only settled in the dying minutes. By then, Kyrgyzstan had seen a penalty appeal fall short and were chasing the game yet again.
M. Nicolas opened the scoring for Kyrgyzstan in the twenty-first minute, finishing from a well-worked move. Lebanon responded through M. Fahs, who found the net in the thirty-sixth minute to level matters. The hosts thought they had taken the lead before half-time, but a penalty at forty-four minutes was missed — a crucial moment that shifted momentum.
What followed was a frantic finish. Lebanon struck first in extra time, with a goal at forty-five minutes and two seconds. Kyrgyzstan pulled one back at ninety-plus-five, but Lebanon put the game to bed early with a second at ninety-eight minutes. That late goal meant Kyrgyzstan's fight went unanswered.
These results change the complexion of Group Stage Two. Lebanon move into a stronger position after a run that included a draw with Tajikistan and a narrow loss to South Korea. Kyrgyzstan, meanwhile, showed character in coming back twice but could not hold on when it mattered most.
The final scoreline tells only part of the story. Three goals in the last five minutes means this match will be remembered for its conclusion rather than its build-up. For Lebanon, the win provides a boost; for Kyrgyzstan, the frustration of seeing a penalty miss and then conceding twice in stoppage time.