(MENAFN- Gulf Times) Hosts Qatar scored their second successive win in the West Asian Football Federation under-23 Championship, with a hard-fight 2-1 win over Jordan at Abdullah bin Khalifa Stadium yesterday.
Striker Akram Afif was the hero for Qatar, scoring both the goals. For Jordan, Hisham Ahmed pulled one back but they could not find the equaliser as the hosts held on.
Afif opened the scoring in the 23rd minute, beating the Jordanian goalkeeper with a clever play. He evaded the defender and goalkeeper with a faux left-foot attempt, before curling a shot into the bottom-left corner.
Seven minutes later Afif made it 2-0, converting a penalty with a deft flick which completely outfoxed the keeper. However, Jordan fought back through a goal from Hisham Ahmed in the 29th minute to reduce the deficit. In the second half, both teams had numerous chances but failed to find the net.
Qatar coach Alex Sanchez relied on a young line-up centered around the squad that represented Qatar in the u-19 World Cup played in New Zealand earlier this summer.
Qatar now sit atop of Group A with two win from two matches, after they had beaten Palestine 3-0 in the opening game, virtually assuring themselves a place in the semifinals. Yemen, who had lost against Jordan, beat Palestine 3-1 yesterday. Qatar's in their last group game will face Yemen Tuesday. The semi-finals will take place on October 10, while the title clash will be held on October 14.
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