Jordan Draws Venezuela In Scoreless Stalemate

(MENAFN- Jordan Times) AMMAN - The King Abdullah II Stadium in Al Quwaysmeh hosted once again an absorbing regional test on Tuesday night, as Al Nashama and Venezuela played out a 0-0 draw in an international friendly.

Marking the second test under newly appointed manager Badou Zaki, this encounter pitted Al Nashama-ranked 73rd globally-against a formidable Venezuelan side sitting 47th in the FIFA world rankings. Despite the rankings gap, Jordan put on a stellar, high-tempo display that had the home faithful on the edge of their seats from start to finish.

However, Jordan's preparations and lineup suffered further setbacks before and during the match as new injuries sidelined key players, adding to the long-term absence of Asian star striker Yazan Nu'eimat, who has been out for the past year. Promising goalkeeper Alec Smir, who plays for Minnesota United FC in the US, was ruled out with an injury, alongside Odeh Fakhouri (Egypt's Pyramids) and Yousef Abu Jalboush "Sisa" (Algeria's ES Sétif).

Despite these blows, Al Nashama completely dictated the flow of the match, unleashing an overwhelming 23 shots with 7 hitting the target. Yet, despite cutting through the South American defensive structure with crisp passing and sustained pressure, Jordan could not find the finishing touch. The ultimate roadblock was Venezuelan goalkeeper Cristopher Varela, who delivered an inspired masterclass between the posts, turning away every single effort to preserve a clean sheet.

The scoreless draw leaves Jordan still searching for their first outright victory since their memorable run 10 months ago at the Arab Cup, where they finished as tournament runners-up after falling to Morocco in the final (following a dramatic semifinal win over Saudi Arabia).

As the match progressed into the second half, Zaki utilised his bench to inject fresh energy and evaluate squad depth across all departments. The second-half tactical changes saw attacking players like Mohamed Abu Zraiq, Ahmed Al Ersan, Tammer Bany, and Anas Al Awadat introduced alongside midfielders and defenders including Ibrahim Saadeh, Ahmad Assaf, Amer Jamous, and Mohammad Abualnadi to maintain relentless pressure and close out the contest.

Two more friendlies are lined up in the November regroup when Jordan hosts Indonesia on November 13 before playing Australia on November 17. Other friendlies are expected in December ahead of the Asian Cup set for Saudi Arabia.

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