Ammon News - Jordan are back in action but must take three points from their match against Nepal to boost their hopes of progression, while unbeaten Australia will look to keep the good times rolling against Chinese Taipei as Group B continues on Monday.

With the race to qualify for the FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022 and AFC Asian Cup China 2023 continuing to take shape, much hinges on the results of Monday’s matches, both of which pit a heavy favourite against an unfancied outsider.

Jordan will be seeking to make Kuwait’s loss their own gain as the battle for positions in Group B continues in Kuwait City on Monday.

Australia’s 3-0 defeat of the group hosts did much to clarify the likely winners of the group, but also provided Jordan with a golden opportunity to seize the initiative in the race for second place when they meet Nepal in their first Asian Qualifiers match since 2019.

Should the 95th-ranked Al Nashama succeed in defeating a side ranked 76 places beneath them, they will move to 13 points from six matches, putting them three ahead of Kuwait and firmly in the mix to advance as one of the best runners-up.

While Vital Borkelmans’ side will be confident of success against a Nepal side they beat 3-0 on Matchday Four, Jordan’s run in to these Qualifiers has been somewhat mixed, with early 2021 wins over Tajikistan, Lebanon and Bahrain offset by a heavy 5-1 loss to United Arab Emirates in late May.

Borkelmans is targeting nothing less than nine points from his side’s three remaining matches, and while he is aware of the importance of later challenges, particularly the meeting with Kuwait on Friday, the Belgian tactician knows failure to defeat Nepal will make it all academic.

“We need nine points to qualify, and the journey starts against Nepal,’ he said. “We realise the importance of the match with Kuwait, but first we have to get the full points against Nepal on Monday before looking at the next match.”

Nepal, too, are still in with a mathematical chance of qualifying in the runner-up spot after their 2-0 win over Chinese Taipei on Thursday, which featured goals from Anjan Bista and Nawayug Shrestha.

But, while a second-place finish is not beyond the realms of possibility, it remains a distinctly remote prospect. Nepal would need to defeat both Jordan and Australia, plus see several other results fall their way.

*AFC