Jesus Casas admitted that mistakes cost his side dearly against Kuwait but stressed that he was happy with the performance of his players.

 

"The draw against Kuwait was not the result we had hoped for. We were the better team in terms of controlling the game," said the head coach.

 

"I will consider my options carefully when selecting the starting lineup for Palestine as we are still very much in the race for an automatic spot."

While Iraq are seeking a second appearance on the global stage, Thursday's 3-1 defeat to Jordan means Palestine's best hope of qualifying now rest on them advancing to the playoffs, which will offer an additional two tickets.

 

Head coach Ihab Abu Jazar, who took charge for the first time, was satisfied with how his players performed and expects them to continue learning against Iraq.

 

"We fielded several players for the first time and they coped well, which augurs well for the future of the national team," said Jazar.

Venue: Amman International Stadium (Amman)

Kick-off: Tuesday, 21:15 (UTC+3)