KUALA LUMPUR: War-torn Palestine are determined to stay on course in the third round of their World Cup qualification campaign despite facing numerous challenges.
After holding Asian giants South Korea to a goalless draw in Group B last week, head coach Makram Daboub hopes his players can maintain their momentum against Jordan at the KLFA Stadium in Cheras tomorrow.
"It was a tough situation for us, but we managed to play well against South Korea and secured a good result. For tomorrow, we hope to perform just as we did before," said Daboub at the pre-match press conference today.
"We've had a week-long training camp here in Malaysia, and our players are ready for the next game. We hope to play on home soil in Palestine one day, as it's important to have the support of our spectators."
Meanwhile, goalkeeper Rami Hamada described Malaysia as their "second home" and expressed gratitude to the FA of Malaysia (FAM) for hosting their matches.
He added that the Lions of Canaan will put up a strong fight, just like they did against South Korea.
"We are proud of our performance against Korea. It has motivated us to continue delivering strong performances," said Hamada.
Jordan coach Jamal Sellami, meanwhile, cautioned his players against underestimating Palestine, despite having a favourable record from their last three encounters — with two wins and a draw.
He also urged his team to move on from their 1-1 draw against Kuwait last week and focus on securing three points tomorrow.
"We lost two points against Kuwait, and our goal now is to win tomorrow. This match is important, and the team is ready," said Jamal.
He confirmed that he will make changes to his starting line-up after key player Musa Al-Taamari sustained an injury against Kuwait. - Bernama