A goal seven minutes from time by Ibrahim Daldoom took Jordan through to the semi-finals of the AFC U-22 Championship after recording a 1-0 victory over the United Arab Emirates at Sultan Qaboos Sports Complex on Sunday.
UAE goalkeeper Ahmad Shambih was pressed into near constant service as 2013 WAFF Championship finalists Jordan dominated for long spells in a match against a strangely flat Emirati side.
Jordan pressed from the kick-off and five minutes in good work by front duo Belal Qwaider and Mahmoud Za’tara resulted in a Monther Amara shot from 20 yards out, which fizzed wide to Shambih’s right.
It took until the 20 minute mark before the UAE had their first sight of goal as Khaled Sarwashi took aim from distance but it was easy pickings for Mustafa Abu Mosameh.
But just minutes later Jordan were back on the attack with Za’tara as he latched onto a mistake in the UAE backline to go one-on-one with Shambih, but the forward could only put his shot wide.
And 10 minutes later Za’tara was involved again as he teed up Saleh after a neat combination of passes, but the busy Shambih was equal to the midfielder’s shot and pushed the low drive away for a corner with a smart save.
A free-kick on the stroke of half-time by Saleh curled dangerously into the penalty area but somehow eluded both Tareq Khattab and Za’tara as the teams went in level at the break.
In the second half the UAE attempted to play more positively, but it was Jordan who had the clearest chance just five minutes after the restart as Za’tara was sent clear but he could only put his shot into the side-netting from a difficult angle.
With 20 minutes remaining Jordan finally beat the seemingly impregnable Shambih, only to be denied this time by the woodwork as Amara’s shot ricocheted off the foot of the left-hand post and bounced clear.
But it only took five minutes for second half substitute Oudi Al Qara to have the next clear Jordan opportunity, yet the UAE goal continued to live a charmed life as the striker contrived to put his shot wide from just six yards after he was put through by a flick by Za’tara.
However, with seven minute to go, Jordan finally got the goal their domination deserved as centre-back Daldoom pushed forward adventurously into the Emirati half and linked with Saleh, whose return pass found the centre-back running through on goal and the defender finished like a seasoned striker, slotting coolly past Shambih into the bottom corner.
The UAE belatedly sparked into life after they had conceded, but it was Jordan who could have made the game safe with Al Qara’s effort from close range that hit the post.
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