In the second round of fixtures in Group B of the AFC World Cup qualifiers, Palestine are set to play Jordan at Kuala Lumpur Football Stadium on Tuesday.
The home side have one point and are in fourth place in their six-team group after drawing 0-0 against South Korea on September 5, while the visitors are second with one point following their 1-1 draw against Kuwait on the same date.
Match preview
© Imago
In their draw against South Korea, Palestine performed excellently from a defensive perspective considering they had just 25% possession.
In fact, they played just 150 accurate passes in contrast to South Korea's 615 and also faced 12 shots from inside the penalty area.
Despite their limited possession, Palestine were still able to produce 10 shots, though they only managed to create one big chance compared to their opponents' four.
Boss Makram Dabboub's side have failed to win any of their last three games, though they have only lost once in their last five matches in all competitions.
Dabboub's team have never made it to the group stage of the World Cup, though they have only lost twice in their last seven AFC World Cup qualifying matches and have won three times and drawn twice in those fixtures.
When playing as the home side, Palestine have a mixed record in their five most recent games considering they have lost twice, drawn twice and won once, though prior to these fixtures they won 11 and drew two of the previous 13 matches.
© Imago
Jordan will be disappointed with their draw against Kuwait, especially as they had been leading from the 14th minute until they conceded in the 92nd minute when Yousef Nasser converted a penalty.
The Chivalrous Ones produced eight shots from inside the box, a figure that was four times the amount Kuwait managed.
Despite failing to win, boss Jamal Sellami will still be pleased that his side are now undefeated in their last seven matches, having also won eight of their last 11 fixtures.
Jordan also won the four AFC World Cup qualifying games prior to their draw against Kuwait, beating Saudi Arabia and Tajikistan, as well as Pakistan twice, by a cumulative score of 15-1.
Sellami's side have won their last five away fixtures and have kept three clean sheets in those games, and their most recent loss on the road was a 6-1 defeat against Japan on January 9.
- D
- D
- W
- W
- W
- D
- W
- D
Team News
© Imago
Palestine could select a similar starting XI to the team that drew against South Korea, so expect defenders Mus'ab Al Battat, Michel Termanini, Yaser Hamed and Camilo Saldana to shield goalkeeper Rami Hamada.
In the forward line, Oday Dabbagh and Wessam Abou Ali could form a striker partnership.
As for the visitors, Mousa Al-Taamari was substituted in the 63rd minute due to injury against Kuwait, but his replacement Yousef Abu Jalboush was taken off in the 90th minute.
Reziq Bani Hani could therefore be set to start for Jordan in the forward line, and he may be joined by Ali Olwan and Yazan Al-Naimat.
Palestine possible starting lineup:
Hamada; Al Battat, Termanini, Hamed, Saldana; Cantillana, Jaber, Kharoub, Seyam; Dabbagh, Abou Ali
Jordan possible starting lineup:
Abulaila; Nasib, Alarab, Abu Dahab; Al-Mardi, Al-Rashdan, Al-Rawabdeh, Ali Hasheesh; Bani Hani, Olwan, Al-Naimat
We say: Palestine 1-3 Jordan
Although Palestine have only lost once in their last five games, they have failed to win any of their last three.
It is also difficult to ignore the strong form of Jordan, both away from home and in all competitions, and they should come into Tuesday's clash as favourites.
For data analysis of the most likely results, scorelines and more for this match please click here.
Lewis Nolan
Iran
Kyrgyzstan
North Korea
Qatar
UAE
Uzbekistan
Iraq
Jordan
Kuwait
Oman
Palestine
South Korea
Australia
Bahrain
China
Indonesia
Japan
Saudi Arabia
