Tue, 30 Nov, -0001
Muscat: A goal from half-time substitute Belal Qwaider secured Jordan a deserved 1-0 win against AFC U-22 Championship hosts Oman at Sultan Qaboos Sports Complex on Monday.
Qwaider, who was Jordan’s top scorer in the 2012 AFC U-19 Championships, showed that he is just as capable in front of goal at this level as he was in the tournament hosted in the United Arab Emirates over a year ago, as he danced through the Oman defence before firing past keeper Mazin Al Kabsi.
Despite an even first half, Jordan were much the better team in the second period and could have made the result more comfortable after they hit the woodwork twice and forced several saves from the Omani goalkeeper.
But after adding to Saturday’s 1-1 draw with Korea Republic, Jordan top the Group A table alongside the Koreans with the pair holding a one point cushion over Oman with just one match remaining.
“The performance was good, but I am still expecting more from the players,” said Jordan coach Islam Al Diabat, who sees his side face already-eliminated Myanmar on Wednesday.
“These players have been playing together now for 10 years, so even though we were missing two important players, who are with Saudi Arabian club teams, their efforts were excellent.”
As early as the second minute Jordan goalkeeper Musatafa Mosameh was called into action at his near post with an athletic save from Oman captain Sami Awain.
However, his coach Islam Al Diabat would have been far less satisfied with the custodian’s next touch as 10 minutes into the game, under pressure from Omani forward Sami Al Hasani, Mosameh illegally handled the ball to earn himself a booking and Oman a free-kick on the cusp of the penalty box.
But fortunately the resulting set-piece from full-back Ali Nahar’s was well-struck but sailed narrowly wide of the goalkeeper’s right-hand post.
Substituted after sustaining injury in Saturday’s 4-0 victory over Myanmar in which he scored, Al Hasani was determined to prove that he was back to full fitness and on the 25th minute he bulled his way through the Jordan backline only to flash his shot narrowly wide of Mosameh’s left-hand upright.
Jordan’s best chances of breaking the deadlock fell to midfielder Ahmad Saleh who had two opportunities in as many minutes, first shooting narrowly wide and then heading over from a right wing cross by Monther Amara.
On the verge of half-time, Oman’s experienced right winger Raed Ibrahim waltzed into the penalty area but chose to cut the ball back, behind his onrushing team-mates, when a shot seemed the better option.
The second period of the game began in disjointed fashion as both sides struggled to impose themselves in midfield, but on the 58th minute a piece of brilliance by Qwaider shook the scoreline and the match into life.
Receiving the ball just inside the area, the half-time substitute tricked his way past Nahar and Nadhir Al Maskari before coolly sliding the ball past Al Mazin Kasbi.
Oman coach Philippe Burle responded by throwing on his own goal-scoring substitute in the form of Hatam Al Hamhami, who had come off the bench to net twice in the previous fixture.
However it was towering centre-back Muheeb Issa who went closest to swiftly drawing Oman level, rising unmarked to power a fearsome header wide from Nahar’s free-kick with a little over an hour gone.
But Issa’s effort aside, the 2014 WAFF runners-up controlled the second half and Qwaider’s night almost got even better as with 20 minutes remaining he was mere inches from adding to his tally as his deflected shot from distance hit the post and bounced away with Al Kasbi beaten.
And the woodwork was rattling again less than 10 minutes later when Amara’s speculative shot from outside the area hit the post before the same player was denied again, this time by Al Kasbi with a plunging save to his right.
At the death, Oman threw everything at their opponents, including Al Kasbi who came charging up the field for a corner deep into injury time, however neither he, nor his team-mates, were able to breach the solid Jordan defence as the tournament hosts failed to follow up the weekend’s 4-0 win over Myanmar.
“It was a tough match against opponents who have more maturity and experience than us,” said Oman coach Burle, who must quickly re-group his side for Wednesday’s crucial meeting with Korea.
“I observed that Jordan play a high pressing game and are very fast and powerful. So we had to play a more direct system, if we played a short-passing game we would have been under pressure immediately; they would have killed us.
“I am proud of the performance of my players because they gave 100%. They gave their maximum.”