In the second round of the 2018 FIFA World Cup qualifiers, held between 2015 and 2016, Lebanon drew with South Korea, Kuwait, Myanmar, and Laos. Maatouk scored twice in the second round, against Myanmar and Laos, and, despite finishing second in their group, Lebanon were eliminated from the World Cup. However, their second-place finish enabled them to progress to the final round of qualification for the 2019 AFC Asian Cup.