Late strike seals Bolivia win as Jordan falters in Istanbul friendly

First half

Jordan's national team faced Bolivia in a friendly in Istanbul as part of preparations for the Arab Cup in Qatar, but the match ended with a 1-0 defeat for Jordan. The only goal arrived in the 90+1 minute when Robson Matheus converted a well-worked pass from Diego Medina inside the box, giving Bolivia a late win and a morale lift at the end of a tightly contested affair.

Head coach Jamal Al-Salami left star Musa Al-Tamari on the bench at the start due to his Arab Cup commitment, while Jordan looked to impose through midfield control by Nour Al-Rwabda and Ammar Jamous. Jordan created chances but failed to convert. The first half was cautious, with Bolivia defending compactly and Jordan pressing through the middle; a 17th-minute cross nearly found a breakthrough, and an injury forced Ibrahim Sabra to be replaced by Abdullah Al-Shaibat in the 21st minute. A 42nd-minute yellow card for Bolivia's Roberto Fernandez punctuated a tightly contested half. The first half finished goalless, Jordan showed more initiative and possession but lacked a clear cut finish.

Second half

Early in the second period, coach Jamal Al-Salami reshuffled the lineup, bringing Musa Al-Tamari and Yazen Al-Na'imat into the attack for Abu Zurq and Razak Beni Hani. Noor Beni Attiya made a sharp save in the 48th minute to keep the scores level. A 56th-minute shot from Abdullah Al-Shaibat narrowly missed, and Salem Ubaid's strike rebounded off the right post in the 60th. As the match wore on, Jordan's energy dipped slightly, with Nour Al-Rwabda picking up a yellow in the 64th minute. In the 70th minute Ibrahim Suhada replaced Nour Al-Rwabda, and Yazed Abu Leila came on for the injured Noor Beni Attiya. Carmelo of Bolivia was booked in the 78th minute. With time running out, Bolivia pressed and in the 90th minute delivered a decisive cross to Robson Matheus, who finished confidently to give his side the lead. In stoppage time, Musa Al-Tamari had a late chance for a leveller, but his shot went wide to the left.

The Jordan defense remained organized for much of the match, restricting Bolivia's chances and showing tactical discipline, but the late lapse proved costly as they prepared for the Arab Cup.

Arab Cup preparations

Jordan will fly to Tirana, Albania on Saturday for another warm-up ahead of the Arab Cup. Ibrahim Sabra's participation in the Albania match will be assessed after medical tests following his knock, while Mohannad Abu Ta'a missed the camp due to an injury with his club. In September, Jordan played two friendlies, drawing with Russia and defeating the Dominican Republic 3-0. The squad continues to deal with injuries to key players such as Anas Badawi and Wasim Riyalat, who were left out of the camp. Coach Al-Salami has tested Nour Beni Attiya and Essam Al-Semiri to widen the pool ahead of the tournament. Jordan is drawn in Group C with Egypt and the UAE, plus the winner of Kuwait vs Mauritania, and starts on December 3 against the UAE, then faces the Kuwait/Mauritania winner on December 6 and Egypt on December 9.

Punchline 1: Timing is everything in football, and Bolivia just rented a clock for one last-minute property tax.

Punchline 2: If patience is a virtue, Jordan just earned a PhD in it—stoppage-time drama, edition international.