Syria began their 2024 Intercontinental Cup campaign with a resounding 2-0 victory over Mauritius at the GMC Balayogi Athletic Stadium in Hyderabad on Friday. The match was played under challenging conditions, as torrential rain in Hyderabad left the pitch waterlogged and impacted the flow of the game in the early stages. Despite the difficult pitch, Syria quickly found their rhythm and dominated possession, forcing Mauritius to chase the ball.
The first goal arrived in the 33rd minute when a poor pass from the Mauritian defense allowed Syria’s captain, Mahmoud Al Mawas, to intercept the ball in the final third. He quickly set up Mustafa Abdullatif, who finished with a first-time shot that found the back of the net after taking a deflection off a Mauritian defender.
Mauritius, though, remained undeterred and continued to press forward in search of an equalizer. They even thought they had scored in the 43rd minute when Jason Ferre headed in a cross, but the goal was disallowed after the referee determined the ball had touched Ferre’s hand before going into the net.
The second half saw Mauritius come out with renewed energy, creating several chances but failing to convert. Their best opportunity came in the 60th minute when Jeremy Villeneuve’s curling shot hit the underside of the crossbar, and the subsequent rebound was missed by Louis Rita.
Syria, however, added a second goal in the 70th minute to seal their victory. Mohammad Alhallak’s quick footwork and vision allowed him to set up Mawas, who curled a beautiful shot into the top-right corner for his 15th international goal.
This win puts Syria at the top of the Intercontinental Cup standings with three points. They will now face India on September 9 in what will be the tournament decider.
