Palestine will face Jordan in Group B of the AFC Asian Cup 2019 on Tuesday with the hope of defeating the Jordanians and securing a spot in the Round of 16 of the continual championship.
Jordan have already booked their spot in the knockout stages as the group winners defeating defending champions Australia and Syria in their first two games, while Palestine needs a victory to progress.
It’s a huge day for Palestine who needs to win to book a place in the round of sixteen. Boss Noureddine Ould Ali had this to say at the pre-match press conference.
“We will be playing against Jordan as if it is a final. We spoke to the players after the game against Australia, and they are now ready and willing to sacrifice everything in order to qualify – something which would be very historic. “
Welcome to the Live Updates of Palestine Vs Jordan at the Asian Cup. Having already booked their place in the round of sixteen Jordan may elect to rest some players. Palestine has an outside chance of making the round of sixteen but will need the game between Australia Vs Syria to go their way! Stick around for all the latest updates from the game including Live Match commentary and the goals as they go in!
So, we take a look at the five key facts surrounding the game.
1) Key player suspended for Jordan
Jordan will be without their key man Musa Al-Taamari in their final group game against the Lions of Canaan after the attacker was shown his second yellow card of the tournament in the previous game with Syria resulting in a one-match suspension.
Al-Taamari has been involved in all three of Jordan’s goals at the AFC Asian Cup 2019so far — one goal and two assists. He also attempted three more shots than any other teammate at the tournament in the opening two matches.
Will Al-Taamari be missed or is it some well-deserved rest for Jordan’s hero?
2) Palestine cannot find the back of the net!
Palestine only made their continental championship debut the previous edition of the tournament held at Australia in 2015.
Highlights – Palestine vs Australia
However, they have failed to score in four different AFC Asian Cup final matches since then. This is more blanks that any other team during that period.
3) Jordan ran out winners in their last meeting
The two teams have met only once in the Asian Cup before, and it isn’t good reading for Palestine if you take a look back to that game.
The outcome was a 5-1 win for the Jordanians in the group stages of the Asian Cup 2015 and is still Jordan’s biggest-ever win at the tournament.
4) Palestine have only avoided defeated once in the Asian Cup
Palestine have lost four of their five games in the Asian Cup conceding 14 whilst scoring just once.
They lost to Japan, Jordan and Iraq in the group stages of the Asian Cup 2015 to crash out of the competition.
They began the Asian Cup 2019 collecting their first-ever point from the tournament in a goalless draw against Syria before losing to Australia 3-0 in their last game.
5) Jordan can top the group if they avoid defeat
Anything other than a defeat against Palestine will mean that Jordan will top Group B of the Asian Cup 2019.
Jordan vs Syria
This will be for the first time that they will be topping a group in what is their fourth appearance in the Asian Cup. And to do that in a group featuring defending champions Australia will be extra sweet for them.
Abu Dhabi: Head coach Vital Borkelmans has declared that he is not concerned by who Jordan will be playing in the AFC Asian Cup UAE 2019 Round of 16, insisting instead that he is fully focused on his side’s final Group B fixture against Palestine.
With one match still to play, Jordan have already been confirmed as group winners following a flying start to the tournament, one which has seen them record successive wins against Australia and then Syria.
Quarter-finalists in 2004 and 2011, Jordan are set to make a third appearance in an AFC Asian Cup knockout phase, although Borkelmans is adamant that he is looking no further than Tuesday’s encounter at Abu Dhabi’s Al Nahyan Stadium.
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