AsianCup2023 | Group E : Jordan 0 - 1 Bahrain

Jordan face Bahrain in a crunch match in Group E, with just one point separating the top three. Tension is high in the Khalifa International Stadium in El Rayyan as Jordan will want to finish ahead of Korea Republic with a win here today. Bahrain is still riding high after their last gasp victory against Malaysia last time out. It's a final day shootout where goal difference might play a big factor as these teams jostle for the top spots. Jordan's head coach Hussein Amouta sticks with Yazid Abou Leila in goal, and captain Anis Bani Yassin makes his first start in the centre of a back three. For Bahrain, Juan Antonio Pizzi continues with Ibrahim Lutfulli in goal, and Abdullah Youssef makes his 100th appearance for the pool divers today, and he'll hope to mark it with a first goal in this year's tournament. A bit of early pressure from Jordan, they work a short corner and it's delivered towards the centre of the penalty area, falls nicely for the captain, Anis Bani Yassin with a decent effort, but it's wide of Lutfulli's goal. It's a cagey beginning, but Yassin El-Neymat breaking through the line, and he takes the shot early, it's a fierce strike, it's well wide of the mark on this occasion. 18 minutes on the clock and we're yet to see an effort on target from either side. Just past the half hour mark, Jordan's attack runs into a dead end and Bahrain have a chance to hit on the counter, Mahmoud with a chance to slip in, Abdullah Youssef and there's nothing but green grass in front of him, Yassin to beat, and he slots it away with a classy finish to mark his 100th appearance with a goal. Jordan caught short at the back as the front three of Bahrain combine to unlock the defence, composure personified as he finds the corner. The through ball from defence makes it all the way through and Youssef is on to this one, into the penalty area, gets himself into a bit of a tangle, but he's able to cut the ball back to Mahmoud, a direct football from Bahrain and it is effective, a slight pull on the shirt and he does well to stay up, a bit of improvisation after losing his footing, the ball cut back but it's scooped over the bar, and shortly before half time Jordan gives some patient build up before releasing Feras on the right hand side, and his centre ball is cut out well by Waleed, and that was the final action of the first half, Bahrain playing some really good counter attacking football to take that slender 1-0 lead into the second half, and the strategy remains the same as a direct ball over the top, puts Mahmoud through on goal, defence backpedalling, and Bahrain almost double their lead at the start of this second half, Route 1 football and it's effective, Jordan caught out again at the back, just after the hour mark, Jordan probing, trying to find a way through Bahrain's defence, the cross comes in to Ali Owan, but it's comfortable for Lutfala in goal, Bahrain were back in numbers and the goalkeepers saw it all the way, back that action up with a corner, it's flicked on and falls to Elneymat, who catches it well as a fierce strike, but again Lutfala is there, good positioning from the goalkeeper, the final action of the day sees a free kick for Youssef, fired through the wall, Yazeed Abu Laila blocking that powerful drive, a great effort in a second half of limited chances. The game did finish 1-0 to Bahrain, meaning it's a sea change in Group E, as the group's other game finished 3-3 with Malaysia putting in a stunning performance to draw with Korea, it all means that Bahrain, who started the day in third spot, finish the day top, claiming the automatic qualification spot, and swapping places with Jordan, who now finish in third.