Kuala Lumpur: Oman came back from a goal down twice in the second half to secure a 2-2 draw against Jordan in their AFC U-16 Championship Malaysia 2018 Group B tie at the MBPJ Stadium on Monday.
Jordan and Oman began cautiously, trading possession in the opening minutes and relied mostly on long range passes but the defence on both sides easily dealt with the threats.
Oman’s Qusai al Jaradi — who starred in their 2-0 win against Yemen — had speed on his side but he was no threat to the Jordanian backline as they limited his movements and quickly cleared the ball from danger.
However, it was Jordan who looked more likely to open the scoring as they were more clinical in their approach into opposition territory, coming close in the 24th minute when Muhannad Jehad Ahmad Semreen dashed down the left flank, before sending the ball to an unmarked captain Reziq Mohammed Banihani who shot it wide.
In the 38th minute, Ahmad Semreen sent a brilliant free-kick from 30 metres out that found the back of the net, but much to Oman’s relief, Mohammad Bashar Yaseen was flagged offside.
Oman had another scare five minutes later when defender Abdul Hakim Al Uwaisi’s back pass was latched on to by Jordan’s Rashed Ibrahim al hanahneh with just the ‘keeper to beat but custodian Mitham Ali al Ajmi stood firm and calmly deflected the effort, and the score remained goalless at the half-time break.
Three minutes into the second half, the Omani defence cracked under pressure when Issa Khalifan’s pass was intercepted by Amer Rasem Jamous who then sent it to Banihani, and the skipper sidestepped two defenders and let loose a left-footed strike to break the deadlock.
Trailing by a goal, Yaqoub Saud Saif al Sabahi’s charges showed determination in their runs, and six minutes later, a string of passes between Qusai and Omar Nasser al Salti flustered the Jordanian defenders which allowed Omar to break through the backline, outmuscle Bashar Yaseen before driving the ball into the bottom left corner of the net to equalise.
The back and forth encounter resumed with both sides trading blows but it was Jordan who were handed a golden opportunity, when Oman’s Hamed Waleed al Mukhaini fouled Jamous inside the box in the 74th minute, and Jamous converted the spot-kick to regain their lead.
Oman’s Nasser Abdallah al Naabi replaced Tariq Khamis al Mashary in the 82nd minute, and after less than five minutes on the pitch, he found the back of the net when the Jordanians failed to clear the ball from the box and the substitute capitalised on the confusion to level the scores.
Next up, Jordan will face Yemen, while Oman take on DPR Korea on Thursday.
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