Thu, 28 Oct, 2021
Dhaka: Omar Khirbin scored twice for the second successive match as Syria won 4-0 for the second time in Group E as Muhannad Al Fakeer’s side comfortably saw off India on Sunday.
Midfielder Khirbin, who bagged a brace as the Syrians defeated group hosts Bangladesh on Friday, found the net at the Bangabandhu National Stadium for a third time three minutes into first-half stoppage time to double Syria’s lead over India after team-mate Mahmoud Al Mawas had opened the scoring on the quarter-of-an-hour mark.
Khirbin, who plays has club football in Iraq with Al Quwa Al Jawiya, made it 3-0 in the 61st minute, ten minutes before India were reduced to ten men with the sending off of defender Shankar Sampingiraj.
Syria made their extra-man advantage count with eight minutes left to play when Al Mawas, who was also on target against Bangladesh, capped the win with his second of the match and third of the qualifiers.
Syria will be looking to finish their Group E campaign with a 100% record when they take on Uzbekistan on Tuesday while India will be aiming for their first points would they round off their campaign against Bangladesh.
Ten group winners and five best second-placed teams from all groups will join hosts Qatar at the AFC U-23 Championship 2016, with January’s 16-team competition also serving as Asia’s qualifying tournament for the Olympic Games in Rio.