Wednesday August 15th, 2007 Belgrade, Serbia
Liban Espoir	16 14	SERBIA

Liban Espoir scored a thrilling victory against the Serbian national team on Wednesday. Scrum half Roy Abla's superior kicking proved the difference in the three tries a piece of the game, giving the Espoirs their first win against a sovereign national side.

The Lebanese, under the watchful gaze of national team coach Darren Maroun, got off to the best of starts when Serbia knocked on from the kick off, but nerves and mis-timing scuttled the visitors opening few sets, allowing Serbia to settle into their game. After five minutes the hosts best players combined in midfield to score a scintillating rugby league try. An offload twenty metres from Lebanon's try line allowed halfback Jovan Vujosevic to feed second row Soni Radonavic, whose well time pass put right wing Ivan Mitic in on six minutes. Dalibor Vukanovic's conversion gave the Serbs a two-point lead that they would hold until 32nd minute.

There would not be too many other defensive lapses from the Lebanese whose tough tackling and well organised team structure won them the at times brutal match, which saw second row Ibrahim Ballout (hand), three-quarter Mohammed Jamil (cheek) and hooker Darwich Darwich (back) head to hospital at full time, leaving Lebanon with only 15 fit men for Saturday's match.

Prop Amin Maassarani led the way with an indefatigable tackling stint, ably supported by lock Youssef Helou and second row Rudi Hachache, who was well looked after in attack by the Serbian defence. But, using their passionate defending as a base, the Espoirs began to eke out better field position as fatigue began setting into the hosts.

From a repeat set Lebanon drew level when utility Omar Darwich unleashed his trademark left-foot step to cut through the middle of the defence and put the ball down under the black dot. Abla's convrsion made it 6-6 at the interval.

Sensing the chance for a hostoric win Lebanon further settled into their stride, with prop Robin Hachache leading the forwards up the middle and fullback Pierre Nasr's outside backs working the ball out of the red zone with mechanical efficiency. On 52 minutes five eighth Ali Karoush took an offload from Robin Hachache and managed to get to the line. Abla's kick made it 12-6 before Serbia launched a series of strong counter attacks, with Lebanon's right side defence of Ghassan Dandash and Wael Harb coping under enormous pressure. Vukanovic was at the heart of Serbia's most damaging strikes, with centre Milos Milanko taking an offload that looked forward and putting it over the line. The failed conversion meant Lebanon remained two points in front with 17 minutes left.

Karoush struck again after more strong work from Lebanon's forward pack, angling through the defence to score on the right side of the field. Abla's kick just missed, setting up a tense finish, and when centre Nenad Grbic touched down after another wide-raning Serbian foray on 79 minutes the Lebanes just had to hold on for one more set which they did.

Technical director Danny Kazandjian was full of praise for his side's defending: this was the best prepared Espoir side and our defensive organisation was something to be proud of. Serbia were only able to get round the outside of us on a couple of occasions. Our tackling in the 79th minute was as uncompromising as it was in the 1st.

Head coach Remond Safi: "all our hard work and effort has paid off in the end to give us the victory that we thoroughly deserve even though we should have registered a bigger score. We didn't stick to our gameplan but hopefully we can in the second game. Our best area in the game was our defence. Strong and brutal."