In a match from the "Stone Age": Al-Zaki stumbles on his debut with Jordan

against Syria

Badou Zaki's reign as Jordan boss began with a 1-1 draw against Syria in Sunday evening's friendly at the King Abdullah II Stadium in Al-Quwaysimah. Both sides used the fixture to prepare for the 2027 Asian Cup finals in Saudi Arabia.

Ali Olwan put Jordan ahead in the 38th minute. Jan Mustafa levelled for Syria in the 52nd, and the two teams settled for a draw in the Moroccan's first test at the helm.

Off the pitch, a technical crisis unfolded. The television broadcast ran into problems that angered those following the game on social media, and the beIN Sports channels eventually stopped showing the match altogether because of issues with the transmission signal.

Both beIN Sports and the Jordanian Sports Channel were due to carry the game, but poor picture quality and technical interruptions plagued the coverage, prompting questions over who was to blame.

The Jordanian Sports Channel moved quickly to clear its name, insisting the technical problems did not originate on its side.

It said in a statement: "We apologise for the technical errors that accompanied the broadcast of the match, which are attributable to the transmission company contracted with the Jordan Football Association."

"We affirm our keenness to provide the television broadcast at the best possible quality," the channel added, seeking to draw a line under the controversy surrounding the broadcast.