Jordan ends disappointing run at U-16 West Asian Championship

AMMAN  — The U-16 national football team has ended a disappointing competition and now has about a month before the next regional event.

Jordan failed to score a single win and finished last at the 5th West Asian Championship which ended in Amman over the weekend. Iraq won the title, Saudi Arabia took second place followed by the UAE, Palestine and Jordan.

Jordan finished bottom of the table after losing 1-0 to the UAE, 5-0 to Iraq, 1-0 to Palestine, before tying Saudi Arabia 2-2.

Following the West Asia event, Jordan will prepare for Group B qualifiers of the 2016 AFC U-16 Asian Championship where the Kingdom will play alongside Nepal, Oman and Kyrgyzstan from September 12 -20 in Kyrgyzstan.

The squad had only played four friendlies ahead of the West Asian competition losing to the UAE 3-2 and 4-2 and two matches against Palestine  whom they beat 2-0 after losing the first match 3-2.

India will host the 2016 AFC U-16 championship with a total of 45 nations, including the hosts participating in the qualifiers and the draw seeding based on the rankings from the last edition in 2014 won by North Korea.

The 45 nations were divided into two qualifying zones — West Zone with 24 teams and East Zone with 21 teams. Eleven group winners and four best second-placed teams will qualify for the finals, with hosts India receiving an automatic qualification (total 16 teams). In case India finishes top of its qualifying group or among the four best second-placed teams, the next (5th) second best placed nation will qualify for the final competition.

Last edition, Jordan was eliminated from the 2014 AFC U-16 qualifiers held in Amman after finishing last in Group D. Jordan lost to Afghanistan and Saudi Arabia 2-1 and drew 4-4 with Syria.