AFC U17 Asian Cup
Faisal Al Hourani’s first-half brace, meanwhile, gave Jordan a 2-0 win over Laos.
Sri Lanka 1-3 Pakistan
Pakistan started the stronger side, with Hazrat Abbas denied twice by keeper Imadh Shareeq and an unmarked Muhammad Rafay booting over from the centre within the first 20 minutes.
Sri Lanka, however, got things right in the 25th minute when Nidarsha Mahalekamge, with an assist from Abdul Majidh Siddik, outpaced three defenders and coolly side-footed from the centre of the area past Samar Razzaq.
Pakistan started the stronger side, with Hazrat Abbas denied twice by keeper Imadh Shareeq and an unmarked Muhammad Rafay booting over from the centre within the first 20 minutes.
Sri Lanka, however, got things right in the 25th minute when Nidarsha Mahalekamge, with an assist from Abdul Majidh Siddik, outpaced three defenders and coolly side-footed from the centre of the area past Samar Razzaq.
Qualifiers - Group D: Sri Lanka v Pakistan
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Mahalekamge almost added a second in the 35th minute after he went around Razzaq, but the midfielder slammed his shot into the right side netting with an empty goal awaiting.
Pakistan again took the initiative after the restart as Muhammad Essa’s close-range header two minutes in was frantically saved by Shareeq while substitute Muhammad Moosa’s effort from the edge of the box narrowly rolled past the right post.
Pakistan again took the initiative after the restart as Muhammad Essa’s close-range header two minutes in was frantically saved by Shareeq while substitute Muhammad Moosa’s effort from the edge of the box narrowly rolled past the right post.
Their persistence was rewarded in the 57th minute through Muhammad Hammad, whose acrobatic volley off a corner in a crowded goalmouth gave the lunging Sri Lanka keeper little chance.
Moosa made amends for his earlier miss after Nadeem Hussain picked up the ball in his own half in the 68th minute, ran down the left and squared to the unmarked striker, who drove the ball through Shareeq’s legs.
They added a third in the 71st minute when Abbas connected to a lofted cross by Essa on the left and powered his header into the top left corner of the net to seal an emphatic win.
Jordan 2-0 Laos
Jordan went ahead in the 11th minute when Khaled Al-Asal’s cut-back from the right found an unguarded Al Hourani at the far post, who coolly headed past a hesitating Sankham Thavithong.
Karam Ata Al-Najar pulled off an instinctive one-handed save moments later to prevent Atiya Inthavong’s curling effort from leveling the score as the hosts pressed for the equaliser.
Jordan went ahead in the 11th minute when Khaled Al-Asal’s cut-back from the right found an unguarded Al Hourani at the far post, who coolly headed past a hesitating Sankham Thavithong.
Karam Ata Al-Najar pulled off an instinctive one-handed save moments later to prevent Atiya Inthavong’s curling effort from leveling the score as the hosts pressed for the equaliser.
Obada Ibrahim had a great chance to stretch Jordan’s lead in the 36th minute when he ghosted in from the back but powered his header over the bar as his side spurned numerous opportunities to go further ahead.
Jordan, however, made sure of a second a minute into time added on when Sankham ventured almost 40 yards upfront to cut off Al Hourani, who simply went around the keeper and placed his shot into an empty net.
Jordan, however, made sure of a second a minute into time added on when Sankham ventured almost 40 yards upfront to cut off Al Hourani, who simply went around the keeper and placed his shot into an empty net.
Qualifiers - Group D: Jordan v Laos
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Sankham stayed steady under pressure three minutes into the restart to parry Yazan Kdadh’s strike, with Al Hourani then wasting the rebound with a skewed attempt.
The striker then clipped the ball over in a 73rd-minute one-on-one with the Laos keeper, who then came off his line minutes later to deny Yousef Abu Sheikha’s attempt following a defensive error.
The striker then clipped the ball over in a 73rd-minute one-on-one with the Laos keeper, who then came off his line minutes later to deny Yousef Abu Sheikha’s attempt following a defensive error.
