Reaction from Al-Sharjah Stadium after ten-man Palestine salvaged a goalless draw against Syria in Group B of the AFC Asian Cup on Sunday.

Syria dominated proceedings but just couldn't put the ball into the back of the net.

Palestine were down to ten men in the 69th minute when Muhammed Saleh received a second yellow card.

Syria didn't capitalise on the advantage as it ended 0-0, an important point earned for the Palestinians.

Al-Sharjah Stadium, Sharjah, UAE - 6th January 2019.

1. 00:00 Palestine captain Abdalltif Al Bahdari enters press room

2. 00:09 SOUNDBITE (Arabic): Noureddine Ould Ali, Palestine head coach:

"We have built something from this match. We wanted to do some changes during the match today, but things happened and forced us not to do so when we were given three yellow cards and a red card, so our plan changed, and we could not make any substitutions."

3. 00:55 SOUNDBITE (English): Bernd Stange, Syria head coach:

"You have always the same problem if you face teams who are defending with ten players, or at least nine, they are staying very very compact. How can you run with big speed in this group of players? The only result you will achieve are counter-attacks, and maybe an easy goal for the opponents. It's very very difficult to play this kind of teams and I think we tried everything to come over the wings, to open, to come behind the defenders."

4. 01:26 Palestine defender Muhammed Saleh in mixed zone

5. 01:30 SOUNDBITE (Arabic): Muhammed Saleh, Palestine defender:

(About the red card he was shown)

"Our ambition was to win and have the three points so we could please our people. I am sorry for the sending off, it was the wrong decision, 100 per cent the decision was not right, and the referee took a fast decision, he could have made a better decision, and the video is there to see."

6. 02:00 Palestine defender Musab Battat talking with reporters in mixed zone

3. 02:03 SOUNDBITE (Arabic): Musab Battat, Palestine Defender:

"Every match has its own situations, and for the next match we will see the instructions of the coaching staff and perform their plan."

7. 02:19 SOUNDBITE (Arabic): Tamer Seyam, Palestine midfielder:

"I was expecting our team to win, because we played a good game, but the sending of affected us. We could have done better, but we are happy, we played well with ten men, and I think the result was good."

8. 02:49 SOUNDBITE (Arabic): Tamer Seyam, Palestine midfielder:

"I think today's football have a lot of surprises, and we saw in the World Cup that teams left early. Palestine cane be a surprise in this Asian Cup. We have to finish the group stage and the next match will be against Australia and we will do all we can to qualify."

9. 03:09 SOUNDBITE (Arabic): Abdalltif Al Bahdari, Palestine captain:

"All the players today were real men. We managed to close the spaces in the midfield as I told you yesterday. We managed to get one point, and today we played in the second-half for 30 minutes with ten men and we managed to cover the absence, and I hope we can correct our mistakes in the second match against Australia."

10. 03:44 SOUNDBITE (Arabic): Abdalltif Al Bahdari, Palestine captain:

"For sure Australia are one of the best teams, and the defending champions, so I hope we can perform at our best."

SOURCE: SNTV

DURATION: 03:56

Jordan coach Vital Borkelmans confidently stated on Saturday that his team are 'ready' for their opening AFC Asian Cup match against the defending champions Australia on Sunday.

Borkelmans has big match experience having played in two FIFA World Cup's for Belgium and is aware his team must focus on all three Group B games, and not just Sunday's match against the Socceroos.

The teams are evenly matched, with two wins each in their four World Cup qualification matches - with the home side victorious on each occasion.

A victory for Jordan would be a huge task however - Borkelmans' team have a FIFA world ranking of 109, Australia are ranked 41.

Jordan play Syria on Thursday with their final Group B match coming against Palestine on 15th January.

Hazza Bin Zayed Stadium, Al Ain, Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates. 5th January 2019.

1. 00:00 Jordan team in a huddle inside the stadium

2. 00:09 Jordan team gently jog around the pitch

3. 00:21 Jordan goalkeepers

4. 00:31 Jordan team practice close ball control

5. 00:40 Goalkeepers

6. 00:46 Squad training on pitch

7. 00:58 SOUNDBITE (English): Vital Borkelmans, Jordan coach:

"What I can tell is, like Australia have always been very good as a country, and also their coach. They made a good performance at the World Cup and the experience they have at the Asian Cup is amazing. For us we prepare every game, not only Australia is important, the other two games against Syria and Palestine. We are three teams in the one group for... (indistinguishable word). This is also a special group, but for me every game we must play (because) the tournament is so special, that for every team and for every country the start is very, like the dangers, everyone is afraid to lose, or lose some points. For us it's an experience for our team, my team is ready, both physically and mentally. Also tomorrow they will hopefully make a good game like the games they made in Qatar where they made a lot of chances. Also, China, Kyrgyzstan and Qatar they make a lot of chances, and for me as coach it's very important that they make every game a lot of chances. Maybe one day they change, maybe it's tomorrow."

8. 02:23 Cutaway

9. 02:26 SOUNDBITE (Arabic): Amer Shafi, Jordan goalkeeper:

"Everybody dreams of taking part in such a tournament. I'm honoured to represent my country in this tournament for the fourth time. I'll do my best in every game. It's a special competition to me and hopefully I'll do well."

10. 02:52 Sprinklers watering the pitch inside the Hazza bin Zayed Stadium

11. 02:57 FIFA and AFC boards inside the stadium

12. 03:01 Jordan team bus parked inside the stadium tunnel