The Syrian national team is one step closer to qualifying for the 2027 AFC Asian Cup finals in Saudi Arabia, thanks to the brilliance of their captain, star player Omar Khribin, who was previously awarded Asia’s Best Player and delivered an exemplary leadership performance. The Asian Football Confederation noted that the winger, who plays for UAE’s Al Wahda Club, excelled by scoring a hat-trick in Syria’s big 5-1 victory over Myanmar in the third round of the final qualifying stage for the continental tournament.

This victory placed the Syrian team at the top of Group E with a 3-point lead, and the team will again rely on their captain in the return match next Tuesday, as a win will officially qualify them for the finals with two rounds to spare.

The AFC highlighted that the third round of qualifiers featured 12 thrilling matches filled with excitement and drama, with the contours of the teams likely to play major roles gradually becoming clear, while some teams snatched valuable points in the final moments.

Despite Khribin’s brilliance, the top scorer title in this round went to 23-year-old Bjorn Kristensen, who scored all of the Philippines’ goals in their 4-1 win over East Timor in Group A. The player, capable of playing as a striker or winger, raised his tally to 7 goals after scoring twice in a 2-2 draw with Tajikistan and once in a 4-1 win over the Maldives. The Philippines, aiming to qualify for the finals for only the second time in their history, hope Kristensen, who plays for Norwegian club KFUM-Kameratene Oslo, will continue his scoring streak in the upcoming rounds.