Bahrain edge past Jordan to top group

Abdulla Yusuf hit the only goal of the game as Bahrain handed Jordan a 1-0 defeat at the Khalifa International Stadium on Thursday to take Juan Antonio Pizzi’s side into the last 16 of the AFC Asian Cup Qatar 2023 as winners of Group E.
Yusuf struck 11 minutes before halftime to earn the Bahrainis their second win in three games and, with six points, they topped the standings ahead of South Korea and the Jordanians, who have also qualified.
The result means Bahrain will face four-time champions Japan at the Al Thumama Stadium in the next round while Jordan have progressed as one of the best-third placed teams and will face Iraq at the Khalifa International Stadium.
“Now we need to rest and prepare to face Japan, which is a very strong team,” said Bahrain coach Juan Antonio Pizzi. “But I believe in the ability of my players and have confidence we will get a positive result.”
The Jordanians were on top of the group going into the game but striker Mousa al-Tamari started on the bench as Lhoussanine Ammouta made five changes to the team that earned a 2-2 draw with South Korea in their previous game. Anas Bani-yaseen pulled his 14th minute effort wide of Ebrahim Lutfalla’s goal before Bahrain midfielder Mohamed Maroon hit a looping attempt that was comfortably gathered by Yazeen Abulaila in a tentative opening quarter of an hour.
Yazeen al-Naimat went closer still for the Jordanians with a snap shot that flashed across the face of goal moments later. It took until the 34th minute for the deadlock to be broken, with the Bahrainis doing so in style. Yusuf timed his run from the halfway line to perfection, latching on to Komail al-Aswad’s pass through the middle to bear down on goal before stroking a right foot shot into the bottom corner of Abulaila’s goal.
Four minutes later the Mlada Boleslav striker was released again behind the Jordanian defence but, while Bani-yaseen initially recovered, possession found its way through to Marhoon, who somehow chopped his shot over the bar from inside the six yard box.
The Bahrainis came out in the second half looking to add to their lead, with Ali Madan shooting over the bar and Marhoon narrowly beaten to another lofted pass over the top of the Jordanian defence by the alert Abulaila, who thumped the ball to safety.
Jordan rarely threatened, with Ali Olwan going closest when he headed into Lutfalla’s hands on the hour mark, while Abulaila was on hand again in the dying moments to keep out Yusuf’s free kick as Bahrain took the points.