ONE LAST SURPRISE AS QATAR FACE JORDAN
ANAsian Cup full of late goals and surprises reaches a climax on Saturday when hosts and holders Qatar face a Jordan side looking to make yet more history.
The 88,000-capacity Lusail Stadium, where Lionel Mes.$ǭ. -" )/$) / - ) $) /# *-' 0+ ơ) ' ƭư months ago, will stage the ơ) ' / *! !*0- 2 &. *! .$ ) !**/ ''ǟ Few would have predicted it would come down to a de
$ - /2 ) / - .$ who swapped coaches one (*)/# !*- /# .$ ) 0+ and a Jordan team ranked 87 in the world.
Pre-tournament favourites Japan were dumped *0/ $) /# ,0 -/ -ơ) '. 4 Iran, who then went down $) ƯǶƮ . ($ơ) ' /#-$'' - /* Qatar on Wednesday.
In a competition raining late goals, it should have ) '$//' .0-+-$. /# / / -ǭ. 2$)) - ( $"#/ minutes from time when Al(* 5 '$ /0-) $) /* - & Iranian hearts.
Ǯ ǭ( 1 -4 # ++4 !*- / -Ǡ the people of Qatar, the fans and the players,” said coach Tintin Marquez, the Spaniard who was spirited in to replace Carlos Queiroz less /# ) !*0- 2 &. !*- /# competition.
“The match was very *(+' 3 0/ 2 +' 4 $" " ( Ǡ /# +' 4 -. $ )ǭ/ .+ - )4 ƥ*-/ǟ *2 2 # 1 *) ơ) ' ./ + ' Ƥ /* defend our title.”
# 4# 1 ) & ) /* 1*$ /# /*+$ Ǡ 0/ 2$)ning the Asian Cup for a second time and retaining their crown will exorcise /# (*). *! / -ǭ. *-' 0+ ƣ*+ǟ Their three defeats when they staged the World Cup in 2022 was the worst record of any host in the competi/$*)ǭ. #$./*-4ǟ In 27-year-old striker &- ( ơ!ǡ / - # 1 *) of the players of the tournament and he scored a glorious goal against Iran to take #$. / ''4 /* ơ1 $) .$3 " ( .ǟ
/ - 2*0' /# ơƥ# / ( /* 2$) &Ƕ/*Ƕ & Asian Cups.
Ǭ ǭ With much of the crowd
#$) /# ( ) . - $")ing champions, Qatar will
3+ / /* / *- ) .$ - )& ƮƵ +' . '*2 /# ( 4 $! ǟ
But under their widely admired Moroccan coach Hussein Ammouta, Jordan have repeatedly proved the *0 / -. 2-*)"ǟ They held South Korea 2-2 in the group phase, then scored twice in second-half $)%0-4 /$( /* ./*-( & and dump Iraq out 3-2 in the ' ./ ƭʋǟ
They ended the fairytale -0) *! /*0-) ( )/ 0/ )/. %$&$./ ) ƬǶƬ $) /# ,0 -/ -ơ) '.Ǡ !*- # ) ing out a lesson to South *- $) *- )ǭ. ơ-./ .$ ) 0+ . ($ơ) 'ǟ
# / . -1 ƮǶƬ 2$) ' Ƥ Jurgen Klinsmann hanging *)/* #$. %* . *0/# *rea coach and skipper Son Heung-min wondering if he will ever reign over Asia. South Korea had roared
& ' / $) ( / # . *) !*0occasions until then -- Kore
)( $ 0 $/ Ǯ5*( $ !**/ ''ǯ ǶǶ 0/ /# - 2 . )* 2 4 & !-*( /# /#$. time.
“We displayed the mindset of champions, showing resilience and determination in every aspect of the game,” said Ammouta, having taken Jordan into their ơ-./ .$ ) 0+ . ($ơ) ' ) )*2 /# $- ơ-./ ơ) 'ǟ He added: “We must defend this shirt with every/#$)" 2 ǭ1 "*/ǟ “We are growing more ( $/$*0. 4 /# #*0-ǟǯ
/ -ǭ. )" - ( ) $) // & 2$'' ơ! ) '$Ǡ 2#* # 1 . 1 ) "* '. /2 ) /# ( .* ! -Ǡ 0/ *- ) - equally potent with the pace
) +*2 - *! 5 ) ' $mat and Mousa al Tamari.
They have scored six times at the tournament /*" /# - ) *// )# (ǭ. *) *0' *)'4 ./ ) & ) ($- $) /# . ($ơ) ' . /# ƮƲǶ4 -Ƕ*' ( -$ scored one of the goals of the tournament.
The Montpellier man +$ & /# '' 0+ + $) his own half, sliced through the hesitant Korean rear"0 - Ǡ ' Ƥ ! ) - *) #$.
&.$ ) .2 +/ /# '' $)/* /# *//*( *-) -ǟ