Jordan made their first-ever Asian Cup final appearance on Tuesday, defeating Son Heung-min's South Korea 2-0 in a surprising change of events. In the semi-finals, Jordan faced up against Jurgen Klinsmann's team for the first time and, despite being ranked 64 places lower, they produced a strong performance worthy of their victory.
Soon after halftime, Jordan broke the tie by taking charge of the game, creating more opportunities. Yazan Al-Naimat took advantage of a defensive error by South Korea to score his third goal of the competition.After just 13 minutes, Mousa Al-Tamari's deft touch increased Jordan's lead even more, confusing the South Korean defense. The attacking prowess of Naimat and Tamari proved too much for South Korea to handle throughout the match.
Reflecting on the historic win, 26-year-old Tamari, who was named the man of the match, expressed his emotions, stating, "Actually I was dreaming about this tournament before when I was in France." Playing for Montpellier in France, Tamari highlighted the significance of reaching the final for him and his country.
South Korea's captain and Tottenham Hotspur star Son stood dejected at the final whistle, with Klinsmann acknowledging his team's shortcomings, stating, "I am disappointed, I am angry."
Despite the defeat, Klinsmann emphasized the positives, focusing on his team's growth and development towards the next World Cup. Jordan outperformed its higher-ranked opponents in front of a raucous stadium filled with 43,000 spectators, demonstrating their tenacity and fortitude. Throughout the game, South Korean goalie Jo Hyeon-woo was constantly called upon to make critical saves. Hussein Ammouta, the Moroccan coach of Jordan, praised his team's valiant performance and credited years of arduous labor and devotion for the triumph.
After their historic victory, Jordan is now looking forward to Saturday's highly anticipated final match between Iran and the host nation, Qatar.
Comment: