Doha: Jordan head coach Jamal Sellami expressed his satisfaction after his team began their FIFA Arab Cup Qatar 2025 campaign with a 2-1 victory over the United Arab Emirates, but insisted his side are not favourites for the title.

According to Qatar News Agency, speaking after the match at Al Bayt Stadium, the Moroccan coach said an early penalty that put Jordan ahead helped set the tone for the win, adding that his players controlled the game and executed the tactical plan effectively.

“Our strategy was to keep pressing and maintain defensive focus,” Sellami said. “The first match in any tournament is always difficult, but the team showed its quality. We knew how important it was to start with three points given the difficulty of our group.”

Sellami noted that Jordan are using the Arab Cup as a valuable preparation platform ahead of the 2026 World Cup next summer. He stressed that the team will approach the tournament step by step, saying: “We are not favourites for the title, but we are competitors who
want to go far.”

Yazan Al Naimat, who was named man of the match, said the victory was deserved and would give the squad confidence going forward. He added that Jordan aim to go as far as possible in the tournament to bring joy to their supporters.