AMMAN — Saleh Al Shehri showcased his scoring prowess, scoring twice as Saudi Arabia secured a 2-0 victory against Jordan in Group G of the Preliminary Joint Qualification — Round 2 for the FIFA World Cup 2026 and the AFC Asian Cup Saudi Arabia 2027 on Tuesday.
The win maintains Saudi Arabia's flawless record in the competition, while Jordan finds themselves in the third spot with just a single point after two matches.
In the early minutes of the game, Jordan attempted to make an impact, with Mousa Tamari coming close in the first minute, but his shot was blocked. Saudi Arabia also posed a threat, with Abdullah Radif narrowly missing a header.
The breakthrough for Saudi Arabia came in the eighth minute when Saleh Al Shehri converted Abbas Al Hassan's well-placed pass from a set-piece.
Despite Jordan's efforts to level the playing field, they couldn't find a breakthrough in the first half, and Saudi Arabia doubled their lead at the half-hour mark, with Al Shehri scoring from Ali Abdullah Hazzazi's set-up inside the area.
Jordan had missed opportunities, and Saudi Arabia nearly extended their lead when Abbas Al Hassan hit the bar just before halftime.
In the second half, Jordan continued with intensity, but they couldn't find the mark, and Saudi Arabia held on to secure the full points.
Looking ahead, Saudi Arabia will face Tajikistan when the qualifiers resume in March, while Jordan is set to play Pakistan away.
