The football players of the youth team of Turkmenistan (not older than 17 years old) played a draw - 3:3 with their peers from Jordan at the qualifying tournament of the Asian Cup-2023 in the Jordanian city of Zarqa.
Before this match, the teams with 4 points shared 2-3 places in group A. Before that, the Turkmen team won against the Philippines - 2:0, drew 1:1 with Syria and lost with a score of 0:7 to Japan. And the Jordanians, with one game in reserve, parted ways with Syria - 0:0 and prevailed over the Philippines - 3:1. And so the upcoming fight for both rivals was of great importance.
The match started without reconnaissance. On the 7th minute, on the left side of the attack, not far from the corner of the penalty area, Batyr Shikhiev's wards got the right to a penalty kick. The captain of our team Denis Titov decided to make a pass. And he did it very well. The goalkeeper did not have time to react to the flight of the ball, which, without hitting anyone, flew into the goal.
However, this turn of events did not break the home team, who after 2 minutes bounced back. From the left flank was followed by a feed to the far post, and Ibrahim Mohammad Sabra, who was there without guardianship, restored the balance in the score with a header - 1:1. With this result, the teams went on a break.
As soon as the second half began, the Turkmen team took the lead again - 2:1. At the end of the 46th minute, they played a spectacular three-move, which Denis Titov completed with a touch on touch from outside the penalty area, scoring a double.
But this goal did not break the hosts. In the 52nd minute, Ezzeldin Nayel Abuakulad masterfully spun the ball into the far “nine” from the corner of the penalty area, and the score again became a draw – 2:2.
In the 81st minute, Ezzeldine Nayel Abuakulad, heading a cross from the right flank, scored a brace, and the Jordanians took the lead for the first time in this match - 3:2. But the game didn't end there either.
In the 85th minute, Enver Annaev converted a penalty and set the final score - 3:3. It is noteworthy that he twice had to perform the 11-meter. He scored a goal with the first blow, but the referee forced to interrupt due to the fact that the players of both teams entered the penalty area before the blow. A repeated blow, and again to the left corner of the goalkeeper, turned out to be accurate.
In another match of the tour, the Japanese boys won against their peers in Syria - 3:0 and, having scored 9 points, won the right to participate in the Asian Cup final tournament, which will be held from May 3 to May 20, 2023 in Bahrain, as the winner of group A ahead of schedule.
Jordanian footballers with 5 points are in second place and still have a chance to qualify for the 2023 Asian Cup.
The youth team of Turkmenistan, having also scored 5 points in 4 games, completed its performance in the qualifying tournament.
The following places are taken by the teams of Syria and the Philippines, which respectively have 2 and 0 points, but after three games.
The final round will feature the Philippines-Syria, Japan-Jordan matches.
Recall that 16 teams will play in the final tournament of the Asian Cup - the winners of 10 qualifying groups, the top 5 runners-up and the Bahrain team as the hosts of the competition.
Following the results of the final stage, which is a qualification, the four best football teams will receive the right to represent Asia at the 19th Youth World Cup 2023 in Peru.
