MSOC | Ravens Alumni Bitar Represents Lebanon at the 2023 AFC Asian Cup
For nearly three and a half hours Gabriel Bitar waited patiently.
For nearly three and a half hours Gabriel Bitar waited patiently.
Through all the meticulously choreographed lights, dancing, singing, speeches, firework displays and a colossal replica of the Asian Cup trophy at the tournament's opening ceremony. Through the opening 80 minutes of the match, during which the hosts, and defending AFC Asian Cup champions, Qatar further ignited the crowd at Lusail Stadium with a pair of well-taken goals.
Finally, in the 80th minute of this past month's 2023 AFC Asian Cup opener between Qatar and Lebanon, Bitar's number 24 was called. The Vancouver FC attacker jogged onto the field in front of the 82,490 supporters and millions more watching across the globe on TV.
Bitar's Lebanon national team would go on to concede once more in stoppage time, and fall 3-0 to the eventual finalists Qatar, but for Bitar just getting to step onto that historic pitch was the highlight of his tournament.