BANGKOK — Lebanese American soccer player Soony Saad scored his first goal in an official game with the Lebanese national soccer team, on Wednesday, March 5. Saad netted the third goal in Lebanon’s 5-2 win against Thailand in Bangkok, in the final round of the Asia Cup qualifiers.

Saad, 20, was born to Lebanese parents in Dearborn. The forward scored 76 goals for Dearborn High School in 2009, setting a state record for goals scored in a single season. In his first year in college, he scored 19 goals for the University of Michigan, a school record for a freshman.  

In 2011, he signed a professional contract with Major League Soccer outfit Sporting Kansas City, where he scored a goal in his debut. 

Saad has represented the United States at the youth levels, but last year he decided to play for the Lebanese national team. Players can only represent one national team at the senior level. Saad played for Lebanon for the first time in a friendly game against Oman last May. He scored Lebanon’s only goal in the game that ended 1-1.

Despite winning the game against Thailand, Lebanon finished third in the group and failed to qualify for the Asia Cup finals, which will take place in Australia in the summer of 2015.