Lebanon and Iraq close in on place in Finals, Bahrain and Saudi Arabia draw

Group B: Lebanon 3-1 Jordan

Jordan started the match cautiously, knowing that even a draw would mean a top two finish, but Lebanon were looking to open their qualifying campaign with a win. 

Salah Mohd Yusri's charges were mostly pinned back in their half, but would sporadically break out of from their zonal defence to a man-to-man marking which limited Lebanon's hold of the ball. 

Lebanon, however, took the lead in the sixth minute, when Jordanian goalkeeper Yusef Ahmad tried to block a corner kick, only for it rebound into goal. 

Fiteen minutes in, Jordan's fifth foul saw Lebanon awarded a free-kick in front of the box. The goalmouth look impenetrable with five men standing in front, but the ball bounced off the Jordanian wall and into the net. 

Mutaz Mohd Musa Abu (pictured below) had a few attempts that gave Lebanon a reminder of Jordan's prowess.

Three minutes later, he could have reduced the deficit when he dribbled past Lebanon's defence but his shot struck the upright, which sent a wave of disappointment in the Jordanian camp.