Qualification Battle Heats Up in Aqaba

The Jordan U-17 national football team concluded its intensive preparations on Thursday for a crucial and highly anticipated clash against Syria, set for 6:00 PM on Friday at Aqaba Stadium.

This match marks the final round of the group stage in the West Asian U-17 Championship and serves as a decisive encounter to determine the two teams that will advance from Group B to the semifinals.

Tactical Focus on Key Plays

The Jordanian squad held its final training session on Thursday under coach Khaled Saad, with all 23 players on the tournament roster participating.

The session focused on implementing specific tactical and technical plays for tomorrow’s match. The coaching staff, led by Saad, emphasized strengthening offensive strategies while securing the defense to face a competitive Syrian team, which enters the match with three valuable points.

The team roster includes promising players such as Azd Yaish, Ashraf Ali, Alaa Al-Din Asriou, Amir Al-Louzi, Adnan Bakkar, Ibrahim Handia, Nour Al-Din Amro, Mohammed Khalil, Suleiman Alyan, Ahmad Badran, Laith Al-Rabi, Mohammed Al-Omrah, Rashed Fidy, Ahmad Al-Kharabsheh, Sanad Tbishat, Bishr Marqa, Osama Al-Johari, Mohammed Al-Sheikh, Muhannad Al-Asal, Faisal Abu Daheim, Mamdouh Abu Saad, Yazan Qaddah, and Ahmad Al-Marai’a.

Opening Victory Boosts Confidence

Jordan enters tomorrow’s match with high morale following a 1-0 opening win against Palestine on Monday, October 27, at Aqaba Stadium.

The winning goal was scored by Suleiman Alyan in the 48th minute after a precise through pass from Laith Al-Rabi, leaving Alyan one-on-one with the goalkeeper to confidently score.

Despite missing two penalty kicks, with the Palestinian goalkeeper saving both, the team’s overall performance and dangerous opportunities—especially through Osama Al-Johari—highlighted Jordan’s attacking strength and ability to create chances, even though the first half ended goalless.

Facing the Syrian Challenge

The match against Syria is decisive for securing a spot in the semifinals. According to tournament rules, the top two teams from each group advance to the semifinals. Group B consists of Jordan, Syria, and Palestine.

The current preparations under coach Khaled Saad are focused on decisive strategies, contrasting with previous friendly matches aimed at experimentation.

Earlier this month, the team concluded a training camp in Tunisia, playing two friendlies against the Tunisian side, ending 1-1 in the first match and 0-0 in the second. These friendly matches, despite not resulting in victories, provided Saad the opportunity to finalize the squad for the official competition.

Beyond West Asia

Participation in the West Asian U-17 Championship is part of the Jordan Football Association’s strategy to provide the highest level of preparation and support for the U-17 national team.

The primary goal is preparation for the next major event: the AFC U-17 Asian Cup qualifiers.

Jordan’s U-17 team is in Group E alongside Australia, Iraq, the Philippines, and Bhutan. The qualifiers are scheduled to take place from November 22 to 30.