Amman — Al-Hussein Irbid goalkeeper Yazeed Abu Laila joined the team’s delegation in the Iraqi capital, Baghdad, in the past few hours ahead of their match against Iraq’s Al-Shorta at 9:15 p.m. on Tuesday at Al-Zawraa Stadium, as part of the third round of the group stage of the AFC Champions League Two.
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The match is particularly important for Jordan’s representative, who aims to maintain his team’s positive results and compete strongly for the top spot in Group D.
Abu Laila missed his team’s most recent match against Daqra in the Jordanian Pro League due to an ear injury. His availability for the upcoming match is expected to depend on developments in his medical condition and his level of readiness ahead of kickoff.
Al-Hussein began preparations in Iraq, holding its first training session yesterday as part of its build-up to the highly anticipated encounter. Spanish head coach Curo Torres and his technical staff are aiming to bring the team to peak physical and technical readiness and secure a positive result that would strengthen its qualification prospects and help it continue its continental campaign with confidence.
Al-Hussein enters the match with high ambitions, having collected four points to sit second in Group D, two points behind leaders Al-Shorta.
The Jordanian side, known as “The Royal,” hopes to seize the opportunity to claim victory and return from Baghdad with all three points. A win could lift the team to the top of the group and strengthen its position in the race for one of the two qualification spots.
Al-Hussein is in good spirits after returning to winning ways domestically with a 1–0 victory over Daqra in the sixth round of the Pro League. Obaida Al-Namarnah scored the decisive goal.
The team is also drawing confidence from its 3–0 away victory over Oman’s Al-Seeb in the previous round of the continental competition. That result has strengthened its belief that it can secure another positive result on the road, particularly after demonstrating its ability to handle away matches and achieve results that serve its ambitions.
One of the key players returning to prominence for Al-Hussein is star Mahmoud Mardi, who came on in the second half against Daqra and made a noticeable impact with his movement and ability to provide additional attacking options.
Spanish coach Curo Torres is counting on a group of experienced players with the technical ability to handle the demands of continental competition. They include Abdullah Naseeb “Diara,” who is familiar with Iraqi football after a previous professional stint with Iraq’s Al-Zawraa, as well as goalkeeper Mahmoud Al-Kawamleh, Mahmoud Mardi and Aref Al-Haj, who missed the Daqra match due to an accumulation of yellow cards. The squad also includes Salim Obeid, Mahmoud Shawkat and several other players.
Al-Shorta, meanwhile, head into the encounter on a high after securing a valuable 2–0 victory over their rivals Al-Zawraa in a match played the day before yesterday. The win provided an additional morale boost ahead of hosting Al-Hussein and strengthened confidence within the team before the upcoming Asian fixture.
Domestically, Al-Shorta sit third in the Iraqi league standings with 20 points, four points behind leaders Al-Karma. The Iraqi side will look to build on its positive momentum, maintain its strong results, consolidate its lead in Group D and increase the gap over its closest rivals.
By Mohammad Arabiyat
