U-23 football team regroups

AMMAN  — The Kingdom’s U-23 football team regroups this weekend as it prepares to play two friendlies during the upcoming training camp.

Coach Jamal Abu Abed said team officials will meet this week, to discuss the line-up and possibly make some changes to the squad as the Jordan Football Association tries to secure several friendlies as the team prepares for the 2016 Olympic qualifiers set for March 2015.

“We are waiting for the draw which will set the course of the camps we will have,” Abu Abed told local media. 

The team is now set to play the UAE on January 27 and 30, 2015.

Jordan’s squad, which took part in the Asian Games and was eliminated in the quarters, had struggled to regroup as national team and club agendas hampered Abu Abed’s plans. 

Despite a bumpy preparation period, Jordan topped Group G after three wins: In Round 1, scored a 1-0 win over the UAE and 2-0 over India. In Round 2, they beat Kyrgyzstan 2-0 in extra time. In the quarters, they lost to Thailand 2-0.

In local friendlies, the team lost to Wihdat 2-0, tied Jazira 1-1 and beat Shabab Urdun 2-1. In international friendlies they beat Uzbekistan 2-1, held Iran 2-2 and 1-1, Kuwait 1-1 twice and drew 0-0 with Qatar. They finished second at the Palestine International Championship and earlier this year, the team hosted the England C
squad in a historic match, losing 1-0.