Jordan’s Olympic team to host English counterpart

AMMAN — The men’s Olympic team hosts its English counterpart on Tuesday in a friendly that comes as part of its training agenda for the 2016 Olympic qualifiers starting in June.

The 5pm match at the King Abdullah Stadium is a historic first for the team, which has five players absent, including two with the national team readying to face Syria on March 5 in their final Asian Cup qualifier, as well as three on the injury list.

Jordan’s squad played a series of local friendlies, drawing with Jazira 1-1 and losing to Wihdat 1-0, as the team regrouped at the begging of the year before coaches name a final line-up ahead of training camps abroad.

England C coach Paul Fairclough’s squad is preparing for May’s International Challenge Trophy and the English C team held its Czech counterpart 2-2 in its last match.

“We do not know what to expect in terms of style and method, but that is not new for the England C team. It will be perfect in assisting me with preparation for our all-important International Challenge Trophy clash against Slovakia in May,” Fairclough was quoted by the English Football Association website as saying.

“Football has a universal language and the fixture will be played with enthusiasm and respect. This is yet another fantastic opportunity for the players and staff to experience a different culture,” said Fairclough.

In 2013, Jordan’s U-19 team was eliminated from Group B Asian Football Confederation U-19 Championship 2014 qualifiers, after the squad managed to beat Afghanistan 2-1, held 0-0 with the Maldives and lost to Yemen 2-1 and the UAE 2-0.

Previously, the Kingdom reached the AFC U-19 Championship four times. In 2006, the team achieved the country’s biggest football sporting success when it finished fourth at the Championship and qualified to the 2007 FIFA Youth World Cup in Canada.