The Lebanese-American footballer who ran the gauntlet in North Korea to qualify for Asian Cup

Soony Saad, seen her playing for Sporting Kansas City, transferred his allegiance to Lebanon and has won eight caps for the Cedars. (Getty)

• 'I was so nervous,' says Soony Saad of his trip to North Korea
• Lebanon drew the match 2-2 to reach the Asian Cup finals for only the second time

Whatever challenges Lebanon encounter in next year’s AFC Asian Cup, there is unlikely to be any obstacle quite as nerve-wracking as the one Soony Saad faced in the qualifying campaign.
Back in September, Lebanon earned a 2-2 draw in North Korea to take a big step closer to reaching the AFC Cup finals for only the second time in their history, and a first since hosting the tournament in 2000. It was a tense affair in front of 48,000 fanatical home supporters, yet a stoppage time leveller earned a share of the spoils. Job done.
But the nervous tension would persist for forward Saad until the Lebanese squad had left Pyongyang International Airport 24 hours later.
Although Saad proudly represents the country of his descent, his birthplace was the densely populated Arabic community of Dearborn, Michigan. As a dual national, the 25-year-old holds both US and Lebanese passports.
Saad believes that during the five days the Lebanese team spent in Pyongyang, he was the only American in North Korea. Given the heightened tension that existed between the two countries at the time — and still lingers, despite the prospect of talks between Donald Trump and Kim Jong-un — Saad was understandably anxious during his time there.
“Oh, man, I was so nervous. It didn’t sink in that I was actually going into North Korea as an American until the precautionary measures were taken on the plane going there, and we were given a pep talk on what we should do and say,” he said.
“I gave my American passport to the team manager just in case. I even tried to speak English with a Lebanese accent.
“But looking back now, it didn’t really matter. I told the tour guide that I was American and he was like ‘oh, that’s so cool.’
“They just saw it as a football team coming in. No politics involved, just football. You fight it out on the pitch and that’s how it was.”
Nevertheless, there were some eyebrow-raising moments for Saad and his teammates as they were given a peek at life under the North Korean regime.
Their unidentified pre-match meal — “a combination of fish and squid” — caused some consternation, although not as much as the air-raid sirens that announced the testing of a nuclear weapon.
At 6 a.m. on Sept. 3 triumphant chanting echoed down the streets of the capital after a nuclear test that brought tensions between Washington and Pyongyang to breaking point.
“I turned on the news and they’re saying that North Korea tested some hydrogen missile,” said Saad.
“I just wanted to get the game over and get out of there.”
However, when the opening whistle sounded at the Kim Il Sung Stadium two days later, all the fears and distractions surrounding the trip disappeared as Lebanon concentrated on getting something from what proved to be a decisive step of their qualifying campaign.
“The most normal part of that trip was the game,” said Saad, who plays his club football in the US for United Soccer League outfit Indy Eleven following a February move from MLS outfit Sporting Kansas City.
“Their fitness was insane, but I think what surprised me most was the atmosphere in the stadium. There were more than 40,000 supporters all in sync, chanting and laughing.
“You hear all this about how the people are nonexistent, unhappy or wouldn’t be at the game. But when they were watching that football game, it just seemed like a normal place on earth, where they supported their team.
“Every time the ball came near our box, you heard the gasp of the crowd. That was the coolest aspect of it. They were familiar with how football is played and how the game goes,” he said.
Saad believes the determination and courage that Lebanon displayed in Korea and throughout their qualifying campaign bode well for next year’s tournament in the UAE.
After ending their lengthy wait to grace the finals, the Cedars’ immediate objective will be to emerge from the group and reach the knockout stages for the first time.
But despite the familiar heavyweight threat posed by South Korea, Japan and Australia, Saad insists that Lebanon are not merely there to make up the numbers.
He added: “I think we have the most talented group of guys that the national team has ever seen. We've been with each other for a while, with a lot of younger guys.
“There's a system that the coach applies and we don't really change it, and it works.
“I definitely believe that we have a chance to go all the way. Our primary goal is to get out of the group, but for sure, we want to win the entire thing.
“The pedigree of players from South Korea, Japan and Australia is obviously high, as they have amazing players in incredible leagues. But we definitely have what it takes to compete with the best of them.”